Ice Age Journeys: Two Roads, One Destination
by Xion the Author
Summary: The herd is separated by a catastrophic disaster and must now find their way home through once again another arduous journey. Will our sub-zero heroes find their way back together when their past chase after them? This is the original story. Story is alternate universe, set after Ice Age 3. For revised version, find 2.0.
1. Melon Cakes and Natural Disasters

**Xion the Author: Chapter 1, completely rewritten to keep up with a third-person point of view rather than an omniscient point of view (which I think the former is better). Also fixed up some grammar issues and dramatically rewrote for quality control. Commence Two Roads, One Destination two-point-oh (2.0)**

**Going back to this, I find myself amused by my old childish self. This plot is basically very abrupt, and the writing style complements the lousy writing. I actually find it quite humorous. I can see why people prefer my latter works, as they more professionally written. If the following chapters are not stated to be completely rewritten (which you'd actually notice with the grammar and erros), please forgive me. I only did this in my past time. **

**Two Roads, One Destination**

* * *

_**Chapter I. Melon Cakes and Natural Disasters**_

Out in the snowy field of ice and sleet, a strange squirrel-rat hybrid can seen sniffing and scratching at the ground. Scrat, as his uncanny name dictates the nickname of his breed, is off once again in his endless quest to find his beloved acorn. He's been going nuts looking for his nut. He remembered it being left back in the world under the ice, so he's looking for another entrance down there.

Right now it was probably with the wretched Scratte. He irked at the thought of her.

Scrat digs… yet no entrance, so he goes to another area. He digs and hits a hard surface – no entrance once again and the cycle continues. He has been perseverant in his endless search. Not a stone left unturned. Not a night had past in his sleep, for not an hour he wasted to be reunited with his beloved. His eye bags have eye bags. As every minute passed, fatigue slowly crept up on him. He is continually tiring himself with only disappointment at every turn.

At the desolate field of ice and snow, the winter wind blew against him, chilling his fur and numbing his senses. He collapses to the ground - almost falling asleep of exhaustion. But, at the flicker of sunlight at a distance, he cracks up (almost literally) an idea when he saw – A ROCK.

* * *

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOOOOUUU!"

A special gathering of different animals were singing and shouting. The scene was indulged in a joyous muse. At the feet of a baby mammoth was half a watermelon with 8 lighted twigs set on top. Today was Peaches' 5th birthday. Almost everyone was wearing leaf-coned hats, from small ones specifically for possums to medium ones for saber-toothed tigers or even for sloths.

Everyone was having a blast. Peaches was even getting better at blowing with her trunk, and her tusks grew a few inches quite smoothly as a female mammoth's should.

"Hey Ellie!" said Crash and Eddie in unison, "How'd you like the hats we made?"

"I love it!" chortled Ellie, still trying to convince his husband to wear one too. "Manny, why won't wear one too?"

"Because, I look too silly wearing one," he replied quite frankly.

"Oh come on. It's our daughter's birthday. I mean, look!" she said while pointing at Diego and Sid. "_They're_ wearing it."

"Yeah, and now Diego isn't moving so he won't topple it off, and Sid looks more like an idiot than he already is," replied Manny still insisting that he wouldn't.

"Come on big guy!" Crash encouraged, handing over a giant hat with Eddie. "It's just _this_ once!"

"Yeah!" said Eddie agreeing with him as they carried the hat which was a little heavy for them. "Well, maybe on the following birthdays too, but don't mind what everyone thinks and just do it for your daughter."

"How many times do I have to tell you guys that I _won't_ be wearing it?" Manny insisted.

Then suddenly, a cute ball of fur came up. "Daddy?" asked Peaches from behind.

"Woah!" Manny let out while hastily grabbing the hat and putting it on his head as he turned. "What is it Sweetie?

"Can I _please _go play with the other kids?" Peaches asked, putting on display her cute beady eyes.

"Uhhhh… sure, just stay close, okay honey?" Manny answered.

"Okay!" Peaches cheered happily. "Love you, papa!"

After she left, Manny sighed out of relief. He glanced back to see Ellie staring at him, with the twins dangling down her tusks with their arms crossed as the entire three were smirked.

"Okay okay, fine, you guys win," Manny said in defeat. "But just this once, and probably 'till her… uhhh… eight birthday."

* * *

"I like the cake you got," said Sid to Diego as he pleasurably walked to him. Sid was in quite a festive mood, wearing a more fashionably-designed hat he made for himself.

"Uhh, yeah, nice touch with the… lighted twigs…" he replied, still trying to balance the hat on his head.

"That's right! I am after all–" Sid stood up in a somewhat proud way. "-Lord of the Flames!"

Diego chuckled, "Hah! You haven't called yourself that in ages! Last time I remember you did, you got yourself almost sacrificed by some insane sloths!"

"Ahahahaha… yeah…" Sid said, trying not to remember. "Funny how fast time passes when you're with a family."

"Yeah… I... guess…" Diego said blankly. "Good times. Good times."

"What does that supposed to mean?" asked Sid.

"Come on, Sid," He replied while finally just removing the annoying hat on his head. "We've all had our own families for once. They just - didn't work out in the end…"

Sid looking at Diego, felt compelled to agree with him. "Yeah… I still can't believe my family left me there while I was asleep. It's still funny every time I remember. When you go that far in reminiscing stuff, you can't help remembering that time we met and the mess we had with Pinky.

"Yeah, that was one heck of a mess," the saber tooth said in distinct agreement.

"You've had pack issues. I had sloth issues. Even Manny – back with those cave drawings…" Drawn in recollection, Sid stopped himself as he realized there was something he'd never asked Diego before.

"Hey, Diego," Sid said abruptly.

"What is it pal?" replied Diego while looking at the cold, white snow.

"I know this is just plain bothersome but…" Sid hesitated a bit, but after so long just went with trusting Diego won't maul him for asking. "How come you've never told much about yourself before?"

"What exactly should I talk else about?" asked Diego finally glancing towards Sid.

"You know, about how you're life was before you had _us_?" the sloth clarified, "Before your bloodthirsty quest for revenge with that Soto guy."

That question made Diego quiver for a moment, especially after hearing his ex-pack leader's name. In a cold reprise, he answered: "Do I need to?"

"Well no, but come on! We're a family, it's okay to tell us!" Sid said, being the glue that he is that sticked everyone together. "Were you always with that old pack of yours before?"

No one had ever asked Diego this before. No one seemed to bother, so he was never prepared to answer such a question. "Well, not really. I guess it was the same thing everyone went thorugh. I had an even older pack but I ended being alone. Found it hard to hunt till I met Soto and his pack. So to survive, I pledged my loyalty to him."

Sid got closer and sat on a nearby fallen tree trunk. "Tell me more about this, old family of yours"

Diego sighed. "Well... my dad was a great hunter. He wasn't pack alpha, but he was a great father. But he died from a stampede during a hunting trip back when I was still a cub."

Sid was shocked and was flooded with a sudden mix of emotions, instantly feeling anxious and regretful that he tried to pry. Even with everyone else at the party were laughing and enjoying themselves, Diego continued on.

"So it was just me, my mom…" Diego felt a block of wood was caught in his throat and he difficultly swallowed it, "and my sister."

"Woah woah woah," Sid leaned over getting interested. "You have a sister?"

"Well… '_had'. _I-It's kinda complicated."

"Come on! Tell us!" shouted the twins, finally revealing their presence above them perched on the tree branches.

"Woah, how long have you guys been up there?" Sid asked.

"From the beginning," Diego confirmed.

"Wait-" Crash muttered, he and his twin looking at each other. "You knew all along?"

"Of course. I'm a naturally built predator; I can smell you a dozen of feet away." Diego explained, almost arrogantly.

"Dang…" Eddie said a bit impressed as both the twins went down the tree to join their company. "But that didn't bother you?"

"Seeing as Sid could never shut his mouth even to save his own skin, might as well tell everyone myself than just him." Diego smirked towards Sid and the sloth just rolled his eyes. "So, as I was saying. Yes, I do have a sister. But, unfortunately, something happened." Diego paused here for a bit, but found the will to go on.

"_I was young. My mother brought me and my sister to this… forest. There were plants there everywhere. I remembered there wasn't much snow there, and there were birds and flowers and trees and pretty much every plant you could think of, other than those of course in the Jungle of Misery back in Dinoland."_

_We were catching fish at a river there too, having a great time! It's one of my fondest childhood memories. But, while we were playing, a piece of driftwood came out of nowhere. It pushed my sister's little body, carrying her farther away from the riverbank. I panicked. I didn't think I could do anything, so I ran to my mother as quick as I could. I went back with her but she told me to wait for her there. B-but then–"_

"She… didn't come back, did she…?" Sid said in a saddened tone.

"Yeah, I sat there for hours, so I ended up looking for them myself. Thought I could do it, but I got lost along the way. And, well, long story short I grew up half my childhood alone and soon found myself in Soto's pack."

Sid didn't know what to say. This was the first time Diego ever told them about himself. He tried saying something but Diego interrupted with something _he_ had to say.

"I know you can't keep even your own secrets, but you'd better not tell Manny about this. If you did, that guy wouldn't let me live without mentioning it from time to time, and I hope you wouldn't do that as well. I don't need a reminder of how miserable my life was.

"The same thing goes to you guys," eyeing at Crash and Eddie. "And don't think of even telling Ellie. If she knew about this, I get the feeling Manny will know about it too."

Sid and the twins couldn't do anything else but nod. The sloth was compelled to say at least something to comfort his friend. But all he could mutter was his name.

"Diego…"

"I know. I upset you guys with a horrible story." The sabertooth said. "But don't worry. Things have really brightened up with everyone around, so don't sweat it and go back to enjoying yourselves."

The three looked at each other. Knowing there's nothing they could ever really say, they went up and walked away. Diego's let out a deep breath. He ended up lowering his head, making the leaf-fashioned party hat tumble down his head. He didn't want to bother picking it up and putting it back in place. He rested his head down on his paws, and tried not to even think about it anymore.

* * *

Scrat didn't know what he was doing wrong. Even after a day of pushing it and jumping down on it, the earth didn't crack like it always did with everything he's done. He was hoping it might crack the earth open and make an entrance to Dinoland for him. He can almost see it now: gloriously taking that nut from the evil Scratte. Hugging it, Dancing with it, and totally not **eating** it.

He had already pushed half-way the size of it. And it was about 12 inches long and a hundred times heavier than him. He kept on thinking that maybe just a little bit more and the earth would split right open. He laughs hysterically while frantically jumping on it. He had been jumping on it for over a day.

But his ears flickered as he heard behind something like a tornado approaching. He turned to see something worse; a white cascade of gusty winds and blowing snow. Over the plains, he saw a blizzard coming right towards him. He screams! He jumps on the rock faster and faster before it comes near him. He jumps and jumps and jumps until… well… the blizzard inevitably reached him.

The sudden blizzard blinds everything in view. But if you'd look a lot closer you would see him still holding on to that tall rock. He keeps a firm grip on the rough edges, keeping his claws on it with no sign of giving up.

* * *

Meanwhile, Manny and the herd are running to a nearby cave to take refuge from the snowstorm.

"Okay. Is everyone here?" Manny asked, scanning the entire cave.

"Let's see. There are 7 people in our herd. Manny, Ellie, Peaches, Diego, Crash or Eddie, Crash or Eddie" says Sid while walking around pointing at them. "W-wait! That's just 6 people!"

Manny slapped his forehead. "Uhhh... Sid."

"Yes Manny?" glanced Sid.

"I think you forgot to count yourself," he dictated.

Sid froze to that comment. "Whoops… ahaha…" he mutters, feeling more stupid as usual and makes a fire with the twigs and leaves inside.

"So anyways, everyone is here, right?" said Manny. "At least we're all – wait." Manny rests at the mouth of the cave, hoping the storm would end soon. He stares at the mesmerizing cascade of sleet and ice.

However, while watching, he could see a shade that isn't moving like the snow and the wind. "H-hey… I think I see someone out there," the bull said, pointing at a peculiar silhouette shape in the distance.

Ellie walks towards him, keeping Peaches away from the mouth as possible. He eyes out to confirm whether or not it's true. "I think I do too!" she shouted as everyone went and checked. They could see something perhaps lying down on the snow. "And it doesn't look like he'll be helping himself any time soon. It's dangerous out there!" shouted Ellie trying to make her voice louder than the gusts.

"I'll go!" shouted Manny willingly "You and the others stay here till I come back."

"Daddy!" said Peaches. Manny looks back to see her daughter. "Please, be careful."

"I will, sweety," He says as he picks her up and kisses her before going outside.

"I'm going after him," said Diego. "He might need some help" And goes outside to find Manny.

"Wait!" Sid runs after him. "I'm coming too!"

"_No_, Sid. You'll just get in the way. We can take care of this." Diego said, and Sid stopped in his tracks.

"_Will I always just be in the way?_" the sloth ruminated.

Leaving everyone else behind, Diego goes out into the raging and freezing blizzard. After a few strides through the snow, he reaches his way towards Manny.

"What are doing out here?" Manny shouted at Diego loud enough to be heard from the blizzard. "I thought I told you to stay put!"

"I'm here to help! I'm not one who follows orders precisely, remember?" shouted Diego out loud as well. "Where is he?"

"Uuhh..." Manny looked around through his pure white surrounding. Finally, he sees the distant shadow. "Wait! I think I see him over there!"

The two of them made their way to him. It was hard since the blizzard was blowing from the side. After a few short steps, they finally made it to him. Trying to make out things out from the snow and heavy winds, they could see he was canine in shape. He was unconscious, so Manny picked him up and carried him on his tusks. But as they tried to make their way back**-**

* * *

Scrat got tired of just holding on. He clawed his arms up, inch by inch. With the rest of his body resting on the ground, he tried push the rock down as much as he could.

He pushed it down as hard as he could, squeeling as he did. Finally, it budged, sinking down a bit. When the sound of cracks started becoming apparent, Scrat made a maniacal victory laugh. He knew got his wish. Soon enough, the cracks collected around him and he fell downwards whilst laughing.

* * *

The cracks followed through the ground, gradually becoming bigger and bigger. As it came across Manny, Diego, and the unknown person, the tiger's ears flickered as he heard the oddly familiar sound.

"Step back!" Diego shouted, putting his paws on Manny's lifted hoof. Soon they both heard the loud cracking sound from the ghostly wails of the gusts and zephyrs. The two looked down to see a crack right across them before realizing what the slowly increasing glow of orange was. A torrent of lava suddenly came out of the crevices in the ground.

"Woah!" Diego yelped backwards "Why is it that these things inconveniently keep happening?"

More lava gushed out from around them, and the way forward was blocked. "Run!" Manny and Diego sprinted away as they could. Soon, fountains of lava was spewing out everywhere. It rose up the sky to about ten meters high. The blizzard's cold quickly made short work of the lava, quickly freezing it and turning it into stone.

From the cave, Ellie could also the orange glow through the blizzard. "Guys!" Ellie shouted and trumpeted her horn. Peaches hid behind her while staring at it along with the others. The cracks continued to form in front of them and across, creating even more geysers of lava. Then the ground gave in, making the geysers of magma collect into one giant fountain.

As if an earthquake shook, the cracks grew into large crevices that followed kilometers away into the mountains. No one could see it happen as they were blinded from the snow storm. All they could see was white and orange.

Manny and Diego took cover to a nearby boulder stuck in the ground that covered against the rushing snow. All they could do now was wait for the blizzard to stop.

And after a while, shorter than they expected, they got what they hoped for. The storm finally ceased. The duo came up from the boulder to widen their eyes in disbelief. A large wall of hardened lava blocked they way back, surrounding them like a fortress. The herd had suddenly separated.

"Peaches, stay here. I'll be right back," Ellie told her. "Can you guys take care of her for a while?"

"You can count on us, sis'!" the twins saluted as the cow made haste towards sudden amalgamation of the lava.

"Guys!" Ellie, from the other side shouted out to them. "Guys, are you there!"

"We're fine!" Manny trumpted back.

"Oh thank goodness!" Ellie let out a sigh of relief.

Manny let down their found companion and grabbed a nearby tree, using his massive strength to pluck it from its roots. He swung it around with his trunk and hit the wall. But it barely budged. Manny kept trying to slam it on the wall, but not a crack or scratch would form.

Diego noticed the wood on the tree began to turn into charcoal. "Looks like the wall is still hot! Try not to get too close to it!" he warned to the others.

"What are we gonna do?" she asked.

"Ellie! Just stay over there. We'll find a way around it!" shouted Manny.

"Please be careful! We'll be fine, so no need to worry about us! Just worry about yourselves!" she cried out.

"We will! Tell Peaches I'll be back soon!"

"I will!" After saying their goodbyes, Ellie walked back to the cave. But to her horror, all she finds was a dead fire stacked with burnt twigs and charred stones. Peaches and the others were gone.

* * *

While Ellie and Manny were shouting at each other, Peaches was inside the cave waiting for them with her three uncles.

Peaches made a soft sigh, wanting to go to her parents. Noticing this, Sid tried to cheer her up before she would start to cry.

"Don't worry princess. I'm sure they'll be just fine." Sid reassured.

"You think so Unca' Sid?" she asked. Sid nodded. They all suddenly heard a weird crashing sound behind the cave.

"W-woah!" Eddie blurted. "Hey, what was that?"

"I dunno… but let's go check it out!" said Crash excitedly.

"W-wait you guys!" interrupted Sid "Ellie told us to stay put!"

"And _you're_ gonna listen to her?" chuckled Crash. "Come on! Maybe we could even find some treasure!"

Another wild crashing sound echoed through the cave."I don't know guys." Peaches said cautiously. "It might be dangerous."

"That's okay!" said Eddie "We're ready for danger! Right, Crash?"

"Right!" And the boys did their secret handshake.

"Well, it is _inside_ this cave. And she didn't tell us _not_ to go in further, so what harm could it do?" said Sid cheerfully.

"Alright," agreed Peaches. "I guess it wouldn't hurt..."

So eventually, they ventured forth into the cave with Crash and Eddie leading the way, unknowing of what perilous journey they were about to overcome...


	2. The Wolf that Forgot

**Xion the Author: Alright! Chapter 2 is in! And boy did I made Scrat a bit paranoid at the last chapter, but he already is so no real changes to him at all actually!**

**Crash: Ummm… Xion?**

**Xion the Author: What is it?**

**Eddie: Are you planning on making the story Rated T?**

**Xion the Author: Why do you think so?**

**Crash: 'Cause, well… bah, the readers will find out soon enough anyways, so read and review onward guys!**

* * *

_**Chapter II. The Wolf That Forgot**_

Scrat was still falling from the hole he made, and also still laughing, but soon stops as he sees the bare ground underneath him. He then started screaming loudly. Falling, falling, falling and then, wham! He makes a shape of his body on the ground. He moans while trying to get up from the hole he made.

After a while, he shakes his head and starts sniffing around the dirt looking for Scratte, the saber-toothed _female_ squirrel, who got his nut from before. Crawling over some rocks, avoiding giant dino steps without noticing, boy was he really focused in looking for it.

Ellie found out that everyone else was missing. She looked around and shouted out they're names.

"Peaches! Crash! Eddie! Sid! Where are you guys?" she shouts.

But she doesn't know that they went further inside the cave and she searches only outside. She searches every tree and rock in sight.

"Manny! Diego! Are you guys still there?" she shouted out over the wall. But no reply came from them as they were long gone by now.

"Oh no, where could they have gone…?"

* * *

While Ellie was searching frantically for her daughter and the others, Manny and Diego were traveling. They planned to go up to a hill to see which direction leads to the end of the wall.

"Looks like it's getting late" said Diego as he watched the sunset form red beams of light across the sky, and on the other side was the dark blue color of night. "We should probably find a good place to rest."

"Good idea." Manny replied. "Maybe then this guy might wake up, and we figure out what we're gonna do with him."

Manny was still carrying the animal they just saved. He looked like he collapsed of fatigue, and the storm just made things worse for him. He was a saber-toothed wolf, probably just the same size as Diego. He had blue fur with white fur from his neck towards his belly. He had a peculiar scar across his face, and he looked like he got hit by a boulder with all the dirt on him.

But although they didn't know him, they couldn't leave a person in that kind of condition. They weren't the kind to abandon someone in need of help. So, they took him along with them out of pity.

They made camp at a clear spot near the mountain. The two felt a sense of nostalgia as they approached the site. They couldn't make a fire to keep them warmer at night. Neither of them knew how, only Sid did.

It was now night time. They laid the wolf down nearby and they laid down the ground as well. Though, it was night, it was bright enough for them to see just about everything clearly. The moon radiantly shone right above them.

Diego couldn't shake off the feeling of nostalgia. It's as if he's been at this exact spot before. He tried to look around to see if there was something here that reminded him of something. After some time, he sees a peculiar poor drawing on the rocks near them.

"Hey Manny." said Diego while looking at the drawing"You up?"

"Urrrghh… just because I'm a mammoth doesn't mean I can't get tired of carrying a load." replied Manny. "What is it?"

"Remember this?" Diego points with his head the drawing on the wall.

Manny wipes his eyes with his trunk, still a bit half-asleep. After a few seconds, he sees the drawing. "Hey… yeah, I remember that."

It was a poor drawing of a sloth etched from a piece of rock. It was the same one Sid made back then when they had Pinky.

"This was just the place Sid first found out how to make a fire." Diego said. "Which kind makes me wish he was here to make one."

"And the same place where Pinky made his first steps." added Manny. "Brings back a lot of memories doesn't it."

"It sure does." While the two were reminiscing, Diego then noticed the wolf moving a bit. "Hey, Manny, I think he's up"

"Aaaaahhh…." The wolf moaned. The guys moved up to him to see if he's okay. "Huh? W-who are you? And… where am I?

"I'm Manfred, call me Manny,and this here is Diego. We saved you from a blizzard, but right after that something happened that separated us from our herd. So right now we're trying to look for another way across that wall (points at it)."

"But right now, I'm more interested as to how you ended up the way you are." Diego said. "It didn't really look like you'd collapse after a short snow storm. What happened to you anyways?"

"I-I don't know." he said as he tried to get back up on his feet.

"Hold on, you should rest for a while. Who knows you might collapse again." urged Manny.

"By the way, who are you friend?"

"Uhhh… I… can't remember" the wolf said.

"Great, he doesn't even know who he is." Manny shrugged.

"Your name, can you remember your name?"

"…" the wolf thought hard and finally remembers. "I think it was… Ryan."

"You _think…_" Manny emphasized.

"Well, it's better than just calling him _you_ or _wolf_." Said Diego to Manny and turned to their new friend, Ryan. "You should probably get some rest now."

"We should probably get some rest too." Manny told Diego.

"Rest? Why would they rest?" Ryan thought. He then looked up to see a full moon shining above him. Only now did he found out it was night. He felt a nostalgic feeling while looking up. His body somehow urged him to walk, but seeing that his body was weak, he just took the advice and slept.

* * *

After walking for quite some time now, Crash, Eddie, Sid and Peaches find that the cave divides into three entrances.

"So… ummmm" Crash wondered. "Which way to go now?"

"Uhhhh…" Eddie wondered as well. "That way– or maybe that way" pointing from left to right. "Oh, no wait I think its–" before he points to the left entrance again, he gets interrupted by Peaches.

"It's that way." She says pointing to the middle.

"What makes you say that?" asked Crash

"There is wind coming from that direction." she says with her trunk up high feeling the wind. "That means there is an exit over there."

"Wow!" Sid said amazed. "How did you know that?"

"Uncle Diego taught me before" Peaches smiled happily.

And so, they march onwards in that direction. At that point, they couldn't see the entrance behind them. It wasn't really dark in there; there were glowing mushrooms that, when a lot of them piled up, could make the way bright enough to see.

"Hey! There it is!" Eddie shouted pointing at the light in the end.

"Wow!" said Crash "You were right princess! Way to go!"

"I wonder where that goes to, if you haven't noticed guys, we've been walking downwards for a while now." Sid said cautiously

"Relax, its not like we're gonna get killed over this!" said Crash, until they finally reached the end.

To their amazement, they saw Dinoland within their eyes. The numerous, bushy plants all around them. The dinosaurs eating the plants. They could not believe what they were seeing.

"Woah…." They all said in unison.

"It's Dinoland!" Crash yelled. "Peaches! This is the place we told you stories about!"

"Wow! It's amazing!" Peaches exclaimed.

"It's been a long time since we've been here!" said Sid. "I wonder where that 'Buck' guy is. I haven't seen him since last time. And I didn't really got to know him, Manny and Diego just told me a few crazy stuff about him that I couldn't believe!"

"Well, you'd better believe them." replied Eddie. "Cause they're all probably true!

"Hey! That's a great idea! said Crash. "Let's go find Buck!"

"You guys…" said Peaches. "My mom is probably worried by now. We have been gone for while."

Crash and Eddie let out a deep sigh. "Yeah, I guess we should head back."

But right as turned around they saw a big dinosaur in front of them. And it was angry. It roared out and made them run for their lives.

* * *

Ellie was still looking for them when she heard the dino roar. She had heard it came from the cave. The loud echo of it was loud enough to scare any curious animal from approaching.

She ran quickly towards the cave until she reached it. When she tried to go into the cave however, a voice out of nowhere suddenly telling her, "Don't go in there" She looked back however to see no one there.

* * *

After hours of searching without rest, Scrat finally sees his nut off in a distance. But the way to it was perilous. He first had to cross over a small chasm, and then cross a small lava river, and finally traverse a field of geysers blowing out hot steam. He even saw a bird try to pass by and got insta-cooked.

Scrat gulped, thinking if he should just change his mind. He turned around but looked back at the nut. And as usual he can't resist it, and will risk getting killed just to have it. So he decides to try and get it.

First off, the small chasm. "It's not really that wide." Scrat thought. But he had to be careful. He carried a rock, limbering as he does it, and drops it into the chasm. After a few _minutes_, he heard a large *thud*. Scrat survived most of his falls, but this was going to kill him if he doesn't make it over. He spotted a fallen branch around him. It was long and durable, so he used it to his advantage. With it, he pole vaulted over the chasm and landed just right on the edge. He managed to clamber back on his feet.

Second part. The lava river. Scrat tried to approach it, but the ground suddenly cracked, and it was carried out by lava. Scrat thinks for a while, and then comes up with an idea. If he ran fast enough, he might be able to cross to ground before breaking. But what about the river itself. He couldn't jump it entirely, and it was bigger than the chasm. He couldn't pole vault it 'cause he might sink into the lava. After all, the ground broke easily.

He soon noticed that there were small floating chunks of earth. If he timed correctly, he might cross the river unscathed. With all he found out, he tried it. He moved backwards a bit, and the ran on four legs as fast as he could, crossing the breaking earth after running over it and jumped from chunk to chunk on the river, and finally jumped on a hard piece of earth. Scrat was now breathing hard, after all that running and jumping. But seeing his nut again, his stamina was filled with determination and vigor.

Finally, the field of geysers. Scrat's legs were shaking. One wrong step and he could end up… well… insta-cooked. Scrat approached the field, but a geyser suddenly emits steam right in front of him. His nose turned red, and he flinched backwards shrieking. He noticed the geysers would emit steam alternately, and after a while, they would stop for a second and blow out steam at the same time.

He needs to run fast, have quick reflexes, and perfect timing. Once again, if he makes one wrong step, he's a goner. After all the geysers blew out steam, Scrat ran in a zigzag pattern, avoiding the geysers with each step. He shrieks and shrieks every time a geyser blows steam right next to him. Halfway across, he runs even faster knowing that it might happen soon. After a 2-3 seconds, the geysers stopped. He knew what this meant. He sprinted faster since his life _did_ depend on it. As he jumped off the field, he made it just in time as the geysers all blew out hot steam.

Scrat was gasping for air as if he almost drowned. He was really tired and was lying flat on the ground. But when looked to see where his nut was, it wasn't there anymore.

Scrat couldn't believe his eyes. He rubbed it and rubbed it, and crawled to where it was before. After desperately looking around, he found it near a mountain wall. With a sigh of relief, Scrat started to crawl only to realize it moved behind the mountain wall. Scrat suspected something and crawled sneakily to the wall to find Scratte with his nut. "No wonder it was moving!" he thought.

"But what is she doing", he also thought. He sees her hiding behind tree looking at something, but he doesn't know what. He sneaked up to another hiding place to get a better look and finally saw what she was looking at. A macho-muscled masculine saber-tooth squirrel, fitter and more handsome than he was. And from the looks of it, Scratte got her eyes on him.

Scrat should feel jealous at the moment, but he saw an opportunity. If Scratte were to lower her guard at _his_ nut, he could retrieve it without any difficulty.

And now the chase was on. As the macho squirrel named Scoot moved along, so did Scratte with _**his**_ nut. And as she moved along, so did Scrat. Both Scoot and Scratte didn't know that they were being followed.

* * *

**Xion the Author: Well, that concludes chapter 2! I'll get on to chapter 3 ASAP! Man! I feel like I've been writing 1... 2... **_**4**_** stories at the same time! And as we go further it'll probably have more divisions.**

**Buck: Righ' thats great, but when am I comin' in?**

**Xion the Author: Don't get your trunk in the knot lad, you'll be in befo' you know it!**

**Buck: ...**

**Xion the Author: Moving on, I'm gonna say something I should've said since the beginning.**

**I DO NOT OWN ICE AGE OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTER. I JUST LOVE THE ENTIRE FRANCHISE.**

**Xion the Author: Make sure you read and review! And about the decision that concerned Sid. I had to think about two choices, him going with the guys, or going with the others. Him being with Ellie was never an option because the two choices could make big changes in the story. You'll know why in the next chapter. And, I know, I made another OC but come on! If not, then there probably won't be **_**any**_ **great plot. Sure you guys can probably crack up a master story with just one or two characters in the show, but I'm not you.**

**Buck: Righto' mate!**

**Xion the Author: So, Buck?**

**Buck: Wha'?**

**Xion the Author: You're not gonna ask me when I'll finally put you in?**

**Buck: Nah, It's getting' kinda old ya' know.**

**Xion the Author: . . . really?**


	3. A White Weasel

**Xion the Author: Ok, so here is Chapter 3! A bit of delay since I've been thinking (imagining) over the results of the decisions that I would make and well, this is by far the result I favor the most.**

**Diego: And here we go again with the characters talking with the Author!**

**Xion the Author: Hmmm… Look! It's that deer you hate!**

**Diego: Grrrr! *chases after deer***

**Xion the Author: Bwahahahaha! Though I do not own you, you still cannot beat me for **_**I**_** am the writer of this FANFICTION!**

**Sid: . . .**

**Manny: . . .**

**Diego: . . .**

**Crash & Eddie: . . .**

**Ellie: . . .**

**Buck: Aye? **

**Xion the Author: Your silence cannot beat me either! *zaps eye beams* Let's see, Crash or Eddie first... ini mini maini mo(how the hell do you spell it)**

**Ryan: I'm Ryan the wolf, an OC of the author. Things are starting to shake up, but we have barely started on the story!**

**Xion the Author: Thanks for the intro dude! So now that we have that warm welcome, best you get on with yer' readin' aye?**

**Ryan: Aye!**

**Xion the Author: I edited this chapter numerous times **_**after**_** uploading. After seeing it had only 1800+, I had to add some more. Even this comment is used to add more words.**

* * *

_**Chapter III. A White Weasel**_

Ellie turned around to see who had said that. Seeing no one, she again attempts to go in the cave.

"Ummm… I'm sorry, but, did you hear me at all?"

Ellie again turned around but again sees no one. It was getting late and she had to hurry. Who knows what might be happening to her.

"Ummm... Up here, miss."

Ellie looks up at a tree to see a white weasel hanging from a branch with his tail. As he tries to get up on his feet, the branch suddenly breaks and he falls down.

"Ow!" he shouts in pain "_That_ hurt!"

"Uhhh… Are... you okay…?" Ellie asked somewhat sympathetically.

"Oh, uh… yeah, yeah." he says while brushing of the dirt from his fur. "I'll- *sigh* I'll be fine."

"Okay, so uh… I'm gonna go now." Ellie says turning around to again try to go into the cave.

"W-wait, Wait!" the white weasel cries while running to catch up with her.

"What?" Ellie now asks irritated. "Make it quick"

"Don't go in there. It's gonna be dangerous."

"I don't care. My daughter could be in there."

"And how sure are you she _is_ in there."

"Yeah, well how do you know it's dangerous in there?"

"Didn't you hear the dinosaur? Isn't that an obvious sign of danger already? the weasel said somewhat cockily but was only trying to persuade her not to go in.

"Whatever." Ellie walked onwards ignoring the weasel. But the weasel ran and went in front of her checking the ground.

"Well, there are tiny mammoth prints and some other foot prints leading inside, so yes, your daughter _is_ probably in there."

"Okay, I appreciate the help, but I'll be going now."

The white weasel just sighed knowing how far a mother would go for her child. So instead of trying to stop her, he tries to do something else.

"Can I come with you then?" the weasel asked her.

"Why would you come with me?" Ellie asked him.

"Well, I can't just leave you alone, and there really isn't anything to do here now that that wall is there." The weasel said. "Can I, please?"

Ellie just sighed, hoping for fewer distractions. "Alright, you can come. Just don't slow me down okay."

The weasel had already climbed on her before she stopped speaking. "Yes, Ma'am!" he said and laid down on her. "May I ask your name?"

"Ellie. The name's Ellie."

"Nice to meet you Ellie! The name's Barret! It's spelled B-A-double R–E- T!"

"Yeah, nice to meet you too" she said unenthusiastically to the weird eccentric weasel named Barret whom she just met.

"So, who're the people your daughter came in with?"

"*sigh* Sid, a sloth. And Crash and Eddie, they're my brothers.

"Hmmm... funny, I thought I only saw one track of mammoth footprints, which by the way, were small."

"Long story" Ellie says, finally calming down a bit with him but is still agitated by the fact that she entrusted her brothers with her daughter, even more with a sloth.

* * *

The stegosaurus was roaring and tried to attack Peaches and the gang. They were running away while screaming out at the top of their lungs.

"Why was it attacking us?" Sid screamed while running away. The dinosaur was chasing them, biting when he gets close enough and the gang trying to avoid each attack.

"I don't know! It's probably angry 'cause we entered its territory!" Crash shouted.

"Less talking, more sprinting!" shouted Eddie. "Aaaaahhh!"

The gang continued to run. And after a while, the dinosaur stopped chasing and they were finally able to rest. Although tired, Peaches was still enthusiastic about everything.

"Wow! I just saw a real live dinosaur in front of me!" Peaches exclaimed

"Boy, I wish Ihad _your_ optimism…" Sid said while breathing hardly

"Well." Crash said. "It looks like we won't be able to go back home that way anymore.

"Unless of course" Eddie suggested "We find Buck!"

"Buck?" Peaches asked.

"Yeah princess! He could help us get home! He did after all did it before, right Sid?" said Eddie

"Uhhhh… yeah." Sid said trying not to remember the big mess-up he made.

"Wow…" Peaches stands amazed. "I'm going to see a whole lot of dinosaurs, and then see the legendary Buck in the stories my dad told me!"

"Okay!" said Crash standing up. "Let's go start finding him then!"

"But where will we start?" asked Eddie. "We don't even know _where _he lives!"

"I guess. But its better we first find him before **Rudy** finds _us."_

"Rudy?" Peaches shivered, remembering the stories his dad told him before bed. "As in, big *gulp* dinosaur _Rudy_"

"The one and only!" said Crash in a somewhat happy-go-lucky way.

"So right now, the best plan is to go find Buck!" said Sid.

"Alright then! Let's go!" said Crash and Eddie in unison with a brave front, although they both know that the other person was just as scared as he was.

And so, the gang set off to search for Buck… wherever he may be.

Buck really wasn't that far. He was walking along with that proud stride of his. But there was a problem. Buck was walking towards the cave, but the gang was walking away.

This… was a problem.

* * *

Diego woke up with Manny and 'Ryan' still asleep. For some sort of reason, he couldn't get some sleep. So instead, he went up the hill they were planning to go up to. This way, they could get back much faster.

Diego was climbing up the steep hill full of jagged rocks. It was a problem for him to climb it up, let alone how for a woolly mammoth. The moon rose high shining his way for him. He thought about what he had said to Sid and the twins before. What did happen to them, to his mother, to his sister? He never asked this himself before.

After a long time of climbing, he reached the top of the hill and took a few deep breaths. It resembled more like a mountain than a hill after climbing it. When he looked out to the horizon, he saw a devastating sight that would probably delay the trip even more.

* * *

"Yaaaaaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwwwwwnnn"

After a short walk from their run just a while ago, everyone was drowsy. Peaches was getting sleepy. She had eye bags and her eyes were wet with tears from over yawning. Even the twins were getting tired. And if _they_ were getting tired, so would Sid. ESPECIALLY Sid

"Hey, *yawn* guys." Sid said sleepily. Sid was trying to keep his eyes open, desperately trying to stay awake.

"*Yawn*, yeah? What is it Sid?" asked Eddie sheepishly. He was walking around slowly with each step.

"I think we have to make camp for tonight" he replied pointing at the dark ceiling of Dinoland. You couldn't really see the sky from down there.

"But, *yawn*, we're not tired *yawn* yet." said Crash. "Buck, *yawn* never got tired before." Also walking around snail-paced.

"*yaaaawn* Yeah, night time is *yawn* possum time..." said Eddie.

Knowing the guys wouldn't admit it, Sid thought of another way to get them some rest. "Ummm, guys. I think _Peaches_ needs some sleep"

The boys looked at each other and decided that they should probably get some rest. Peaches did looked like she was already sleep walking. While the twins were summoning their strength to gather twigs from they're sleepy bodies, Peaches went to sleep ahead of them, and Sid looked for sparking stones to use.

After a while, they finally made a nice comfy fire they all cuddled about near it. And not long after, they had all soon fell in deep slumber.

* * *

"Boy." Barret grunted "This sure is one heck of a cave."

They have been walking in the cave for a long time as well. Though it was in the middle of the night, Ellie didn't really feel sleepy. She was too worried about Peaches, and the guys, to get some rest.

"Yeah." Ellie replied and they soon came across the same fork Peaches and the others have. Unfortunately for them, they have no idea about the wind. "So, uh, which way to go?"

"To be honest, I have no idea." he tried looking at the ground at which way to go, but even if there were glowing mushrooms around, it was really hard to see.

"Well, let's try going to the left." she then decides

"Okay, I'll be going where you're going, 'cause I don't really know where to go."

"Hmmm…" Ellie mumbled

Buck was walking along the jungle, invigorated as usual without a strain of sleepiness. He passed along tons of plants and sleeping dinosaurs. He looked around in marvel of the world around him. Though he had been there for a long time, he was still amazed at everything. He was the same weasel the day the guys met him. He was fearless, strong, agile, nimble, and most of all, insane.

Buck still had 'Rudy's tooth' knife, which as always, was a useful tool going about in a world filled entirely with danger and adventure. He also had this whip coiled around his body. He found it useful as well, as he used it to swing around from tree to tree in the jungle.

From the way it looked, Buck seemed to OWN Dinoland.

"Okay, so both of these are dead ends." said Barret pointing at the left and right exits. "I can't believe we actually went through these two till the end"

"Well, we have no idea where they went. So that leaves the middle one, right?"

"Yup! Pretty much." Barret climbed up on Ellie. "So, uh, MARCH!" said Barret commandingly.

Ellie was getting irritated at Barret and his cockiness, although he looks like an all around nice guy. "Yeah" she replied really showing that she's annoyed at him.

After walking for a while, they finally saw the light to the exit. "There it is!" Barret exclaimed.

"Hmmm. We've been going down for a while now, hmmm... I wonder…"

And to her expectations, they had now entered Dinoland, at night.

"Wow." said Barret, clearly amazed. "This place looks so… awesome! An entire world that's right below our feet!"

"Yeah, well, wait till you see the dinosaurs-" Ellie stopped when she heard a 'grrrr' sound behind her.

"Uhhh… *gulp*" Barret turns around. "Like the one behind us?" he said

Ellie turned around as well and flinched backwards. The stegosaurus was looking at them angrily. Ellie was walking backwards slowly while Barret was thinking of what to do in this situation. He couldn't, of course, run off ahead of her. She came with her to make sure she wasn't alone.

They were all ready to run like hell, when they heard an auspicious voice from afar.

"Oi! Over here you walnut-brained ugly!" throwing stones at the dinosaur.

It was Buck. He provoked the dinosaur towards him. It charged towards him, but Buck evaded by jumping over it. The cave shook hard, and Buck kept on provoking the dinosaur and it kept charging at him and continuously missed and hit the cave walls. Ellie and Barret were only standing there in the sidelines, watching him.

"Is that the best ya' got? My grandma could tackle better than that!" The dinosaur gave on final charge, a fast and strong one. But even if it was running towards Buck as fast as it could, Buck simply stepped to the right in the last second and evaded cave, however, finally couldn't take it, and it caved in. Ellie could not believe her eyes.

* * *

**Xion the Author: You had better read and review this chapter well cause I wrote it till 10pm here. **

**Crash: Quick, let skedaddle while he's distracted…**

**Eddie: Right**

**Xion the Author: I can hear you…**

**Crash & Eddie: *gasp***

**Xion the Author: Words written has no definite volume. It can be as loud or soft as it can be unless the author depicts the people are having a simple conversation with normal voices or are shouting and whispering to each other.**

**Crash & Eddie: … ?**

**Xion the Author: Enough of me babble. Who has brown fur on his nose bridge… hmm... aha! So **_**you**_** are Crash! **

**Crash: W-what are you gonna do to me?**

**Xion the Author: Nothing really, I'm just writing this to amuse the readers with comedy a bit, and also to inform them how to differentiate Crash and Eddie. Check who has brown fur along his nose bridge is Crash and who has white is Eddie.**

**Crash: Oh… *phew***

**Eddie: Man... and I thought he was gonna eat you!**

**Xion the Author: I love animals, so of course no animal violence (from me that is) and I have to admit... this chapter is FULL of DIALOGUES. It really isn't shorter than most of the stories, it's just a lot of words written in long paragraphs. Thanks for reading! Comment as you please!**

**Barret: Ha! I ate your knight!**

**Ryan: Good. Now I can eat your queen.**

**Barret: Gack!**

**Xion the Author: My two OC are playing chess here. The score is… well… 6 – 1. 6 for Ryan, and 1 for Barret.**

**Ryan: I only lost once 'cause I lowered my guard.**

**Barret: Just admit it! You're not **_**that**_** good at chess!**

**Ryan: I looked away for a second and my two rooks were missing. And then you just ate my king suddenly and declared you won.**

**Barret: . . . . . . . .**

**Xion the Author: That's just sad, dude. Stay tuned for who'll win this chess match! BWAHAHAHAHAHA CLIFF HANGING!**


	4. Certain Mammoth Issues

**Xion the Author: *Drum roll* THIS. IS. AMERICAN IDOL!**

**Everyone: . . .**

**Xion the Author: Just kiddin'! THIS IS CHAPTER 4!**

**Everyone: Cheers and applaudes.**

**Xion the Author: Thank you! Thank you! I made a bit of delay making this to make it reeeeaaaaally long to decrease the number of chapters (my original goal was 20+) and to reduce(or induce) cliff hanging! Bwahahaha!!!! This chapter is gonna be full of new OCs! The delay was the cause of another decision. But now I decided to make new OCs to let the story last longer! **

**Ryan: It'll tangle up the story mostly between me! You wanted to see more of me right?**

**Xion the Author: I also want to thank you all for reading until now! I've been watching Ice Age 1 and 2 these past days. It's been a long time since I watched them, so i needed to remember. ^ . ^

* * *

**

_**Chapter IV. Certain Mammoth Issues**_

Buck jumped over to the stegosaurus, cut out a nearby vine, and lassoed the dinosaur making it lie down on its side. He did that all in exactly three seconds.

Ellie was staring at the now-blocked cave, their only way back. "No!" shouted Ellie. Buck covered his ears, startled by the mammoth shouting.

"No? What do you mean, no?" replied Buck questioningly "Didn't I just save your hide there?"

"That was our only way back!" she said pointing at the cave with her trunk. "How will we get home now?"

"Oh that, well, that's quite easy. You see-"

"Buck?" interrupted Barret while on Ellie. "Is that you?" The white weasel then climbed down from her to see him.

"Barret!" said Buck excitingly, running to hug him as soon as he reached the ground. "It's so good to see you!"

"Ummm.. Excuse me, but-" said Ellie, clearly confused. "-Do you guys know each other?"

"Sure do!" said Buck, rubbing Barret's noggin. "He's my brother!"

"Stop! Hahahaha!" pleaded Barret.

"What?!" said Ellie surprisingly

"Well, he's my little brother." said Buck. "By the way, what are you doing here?"

"Long story, but what are _you_ doing here?" asked Barret. "It's been 10 years since I've seen ya'!?

"Okay guys." Ellie interrupted. "I don't break your little reunion here, but would you mind telling me _why_ you destroyed the cave?"

"Oh! Well, plain and simple. I did it to keep the dinosaurs from going up."

"You do realize that we don't have any way back now."

"Actually, this is just one of the caves opening up to world above."

"Wait." said Barret. "There's more of these caves?"

"Aye. The first one I saw was the one I took you guys back with, after caving it in, I found even more tunnels all around this place. I've been spending some of my time caving them in while looking for Rudy."

"Who's Rudy?" asked Barret, looking at his older sibling with such interest.

"He's a big dinosaur. The name doesn't really sound intimidating when you hear it, but wait till you get to see the real thing." said Ellie in a simple and somewhat elegant way.

"He's the biggest, wildest, most dangerous creature in the world! said Buck in a rowdy and exciting, in this world of course, seeing as there isn't_ any_ dino up there… right?"

"Yeah, there really aren't any dinos up there."

"Okay! On with the other questions." said Buck. "What are you doing here - again?"

"I'm looking for Peaches, Crash, Eddie, and Sid. We think they found themselves in here."

"We followed the path right into the cave." said Barret. "There was a fork in there, and we tried all three passages before ending up here." He then looked up at the bright yellow ceiling. "Boy, have we been in there for awhile now."

"Well then! You probably want ma' help findin' 'em." said Buck picking up his knife. "And this Sid fella' too, again"

"I'd really appreciate it if you would."

"Cool! A search and rescue mission with my old brother!"

"Who ya' callin' old?" said Buck. "By the way, did they get taken here by another dinosaur?

"No, I don't think so. I think they went in here alone, thanks to my brothers I guess, and I doubt Sid has anything to do with this."

"Hmm. Well then!" said Buck walking the other way. "Let's follow their tracks! By the end of the day, we might find 'em by then! You remember the rules, right mammoth?"

"Err… What rules?" whispered Barret to Ellie.

"Well, rule number one, always listen to Buck. Rule number 2, stay in the middle of the trail. And rule number _3_, well, it's not really worth mentioning at all"

"What is it? Tell me."

"Do you have gas?" An odd question.

* * *

"Rise and shine sleepy heads!" said Sid waking everyone up. "Come on! It's gonna be dangerous if we don't get a move on! The faster we find Buck, the faster we get to safety, right?"

After saying this, Peaches, Crash and Eddie rose up to their feet. And after a few seconds of trying to get their eyes open, their stomachs grumbled out in unison.

"Haha!" said Sid somewhat triumphantly. "I knew you guys would be hungry! So-" He puts down some fruits and vegetables. "-I gathered some of these to keep you _strong_ and HEALTHY!"

"Uhhh… Are these really… edible?" said Peaches, poking at the tough lettuce, really tough lettuce.

"Well, at least the fruits okay." said Crash picking up the pomegranate and took small bites at it.

"Actually, they're kinda pretty good! said Eddie while gorging at the melon.

They way everyone was acting reminded Sid of Pinky and the dinosaur kids he raised for some time. "I wonder how they're all doing".

* * *

Manny woke up with the sun in his eyes, seeing Ryan still lying down but with his eyes open, trying to remember anything from his memories.

"You okay there?" asked Manny at Ryan.

"Uhh. Yes, thank you for your hospitality and all."

"How you holding up, still don't remember anything?"

"Other than my name and what I look like. I have a scar on my face, right?"

"Uhhh… yeah! Does that ring a bell to anything?"

"None that I know of."

"Hey guys." said Diego walking towards them. "Was I gone too long?"

"Wait. You were gone?" asked Manny without a clue

"I just woke up too, so I didn't know either." admitted Ryan.

"So you both just woke up?" asked Diego

"Yeah, so, where did you go?"

"I went up that hill over there early." said Diego pointing at it. "And you won't like what I just saw with my own eyes."

"How bad is it?" asked Manny.

"The wall reaches out farther than we expected. It looks like the only way is by going through Half Peak and then going round the once known Glacier Pass, though all the ice has now melted, the wall stretches out and we might have to pass through human settlements there. We should probably avoid those, but it's the quickest way back."

"There isn't any other way?"

"I'm afraid there isn't. This trip will take longer than we all expected." said Diego.

Manny fell silent for a while, thinking about what to do next.

"Alright, I trust you. We should start moving now. The sooner, the better." said Manny firmly.

Manny and Diego started to walk before Ryan interrupted "Uh, wait!" They both look back at him, staring at him getting up with effort. "Can I come with you?"

"Why?" said Manny. "Why should we take you with us? What reason do you have?"

"Well, you said you found me over there, right? I remember walking in that direction too. Maybe it means something.

"Did you lose your memory _before_ or _after_ the blizzard?" asked Manny.

"I… think it was… before." said Ryan with certainty.

"Still sure you need to go there?"

"I am. It's the only lead to my memories that I've got."

Diego looked to Manny to agree, but Manny suddenly said something instead that shocked him. "That still doesn't mean that you can come with us! Wasn't saving you enough already?! Because of you, we got our herd _separated_!" Manny was obviously blaming Ryan for what happened. Ryan looked down; he thought that maybe if he wasn't saved, this guy might still have been with his family.

"Come on Diego, let's go." said Manny turning his back against Ryan.

"W-wait! We can't just leave him like this!" persuaded Diego.

"Sure we can! He'll only slow us down anyways."

"Please." Ryan pleaded. "I'm begging you. I won't slow you down."

Manny was trying to calm down. He was angry, but he couldn't blame Ryan for what happened. "Fine. But you'd better not." he said, and he continued on walking.

Diego approached Ryan to accompany him. "Sorry about Manny, he could be a little… edgy… from time to time."

"I don't blame him. Actually, I felt a bit selfish. Maybe I shouldn't come with you."

"We all get a bit selfish from time to time, sure. Don't worry about it, it'll be fine. Just… try to keep up with us though." said Diego and made their way to catch up with Manny.

* * *

Buck was guiding Ellie and Barret through the jungle. They were following footprints made by the gang. Barret was walking along with Buck catching up while Ellie followed behind them.

"So, what happened to your eye?" Barret asked with half curiosity and half sympathy

"Oh, errr... I lost it Rudy before, when I wasn't much of a survival expert then."

"How did you get that knife of yours?" continued to ask Barret.

"Same time I lost my eye. Maybe I should just tell you the story."

As soon as Buck was about to narrate his grand story about how he lost his eye and won his knife, Ellie interrupted. "Umm guys?" The weasels both looked back to her. "Where should we head off too now?" she said, pointing further to where they were walking. There path divided into two.

"Ah! That's easy. All we have to do is follow the tracks and-" Just as Buck was about to finish his sentence, a large dinosaur stampede went about in front of them. "Stay back!"

The stampede lasted for about a mere ten seconds. Ellie was surprised, and was even more surprised to see Barret hiding behind her. His legs were shaking with fear.

"*sigh*, looks like it'll take us a bit longer to get them." said Buck pointing at the clearing. The tracks were covered up by large dinosaur footprints. They had no idea _where_ to go now.

"Well… I've passed through here before. One road leads to other places and so does the other, but they all meet after those _certain_ places."

"What kind of _places?"_ asked Barret with half fear and half-curiosity.

"Well, I forgot which road takes you to the _Labyrinth of Doom._ And that the other road would take you to the _Lake of Demise_.

"How could you possibly forget? Don't you live in this world?" said Ellie angrily

"It's bigger than you think, mammoth. It's not something I cross everyday or so."

Ellie felt embarrassed. She shouldn't have felt angry at Buck. In fact, she should feel obliged.

"So, which way will we go?" asked Barret.

"Let's go this way." Buck said pointing at the left road. "Let's just hope our lucks good!" And they continued to walk that way.

And of course, it wasn't. Peaches and the others went the other way.

* * *

_This event happened over a day ago…_

"_Nia!" her father shouted. "Nia! Where are you?" Her father was looking for her worriedly. After looking at every place he could think of, he remembered the last place she could be. Hurriedly, he runs to __**that**__ place, and she was there, sitting alone at River Cliff looking out at the distance._

"_Nia. Here you are." Her father said as she looked back at him. _

"_What is it, father?" she asked after turning back to see who it was._

"_What do you mean? Have you forgotten?" Her father implied. "Today is the day of the Ceremony."_

"_Oh… right…" Nia said._

_Her father let out a sigh. "Come now. You don't want to be late." He said and starts walking back._

"_Okay." She looks back only once at the cliff, and followed him._

_. . . . ._

_They finally got back at the village just in time. Her betrothed and his pack had just arrived. Nia didn't like the idea of this, an engaged marriage. But, as it was important to keep the pack bigger and bigger, she had to do this to ensure the bonds of both their packs and unite them through the Ceremony._

_His betrothed was a strong and proud wolf, they say. He and his pack had settled down on the other side of the village. They say it was bad luck to see your betrothed before the Ceremony. She was preparing herself, not about how she looked, but as to how she was going to be able to do this. _

_It was almost time. Part of her didn't want to do this. The part that did was the love for her father. The part that didn't, was the love for her true one. _

_The Ceremony was now about to start. Her father had now told her that they were ready, and asked her if she was as well. Because of the love for her father, she said yes._

_She walked to the center of the village with her betrothed walking from the other side. All the wolves were howling in unison. Her father stood as the head of the Ceremony. He stood in front of them as they stood side by side. "Let us begin."_

"_Great Wolf! We are gathered here today to join these two individuals, to join our families! And to ensure the safety and prosperity of our kind! If there is anything that thinks that these two does not belong together, show us now or forever will these two be joined!"_

_Not a single wolf had spoken a word. Nia was now feeling somehow upset. She still loved her true one, however, he was now gone, and what could he do now._

_But as soon as she thought of this, the earth suddenly cracked open. The ground was shaking, and everyone was now standing on their feet. Huge cracks opened up everywhere in the village. Everyone was trying not to fall in. Soon after this all began, it ended. Everyone was shocked, especially Nia._

_. . . . ._

"_This must be a sign!" The Alpha of the other pack said. "These two cannot belong together, and neither do our packs!"_

"_Please, with all due respect, that is not necessarily true-" Nia's father, also the Alpha of their pack, tried to convince him to reconsider._

"_What do you mean? The ground opened up right under our feet! Is that not already a sign?! If I knew better, your daughter is damned!"_

_Nia was hiding behind a bush listening to them. She overheard this, and couldn't help herself but cry. She ran away from that place, back to River Cliff, where almost all her happy memories was shared with that true one of hers. She thought of what the Alpha of the other pack had said was true. After all, just three days ago, she had lost her true one. _

_And there, she cried with the moon now rising above her, brightly shining. A torturous sight for her now, as it triggered her to remember those now painful memories.

* * *

_

"Nia…"

"What? Did you say something?" asked Diego to Ryan. Diego looked at Ryan with such sympathy as he reminded him of the days he was alone.

"Huh? Uh, no, its nothing." Ryan said, thinking about the word that had just popped right into his head.

Ryan wasn't the only thing thinking worriedly about thoughts that kept bothering him, even Diego and Manny were as well. Manny, of course, was still thinking about Ellie and Peaches, and… yeah… Crash, Eddie, and Sid too. He thought about something Sid told him that Diego told Sid all those years before.

_Look, things have changed. Manny has other priorities now. Face it Sid, we've had a nice run, but, now we have to move on…_

Manny realized that what Diego said _was_ true. Ever since he met Ellie, and found out about the baby, that was all he ever thought about. He seldom thought about Diego, and even less about Sid. He became too much of a father, that he had forgotten about being a friend. If it hadn't been for Buck, he wouldn't have anyone. He also regarded about what that crazy weasel told him before.

_A better friend? Are you plucking my whiskers? You risked your life, your baby, and your mate to save your buddy. Not the best husband or father, but, a darn good friend…_

Diego was still thinking about what he had told to Sid and the twins. Ever since he told them, he was reminded of that painful memory. He couldn't sleep as much as he did before, he kept dreaming of that… nightmare. Although it was about the time his mother brought them to that river, them having fun, it was painful, because he knew what happened next afterward.

With all of them thinking so hard, they were all silent, and could hardly hear anything if any one of them said something.

* * *

The gang was laughing and chasing each other while they were journeying towards Buck, although they have no idea where he is. Crash and Eddie was running around and Peaches tried to catch them. Sid was watching them from behind, feeling happy about it although they could be eaten by a dinosaur at any time.

"Come and catch me! Hahaha!" cried Crash while running and jumping around. Sid saw a peculiar stone in the ground and examined it.

"Ooohh… shiny." he said. But while looking at it, he didn't notice that the rest of the gang had gone ahead, and he was left behind. Not long after, he realized this, and tried to catch up with them. While Crash, Eddie and Peaches kept on the path, Sid went in a detour.

With leaves and branches hitting his face continuously as he ran, he got annoyed about it slowed down. After doing so, he heard some dinosaurs and hid in the bushes. It came from in front of them, and he peaked. To his surprise, he saw three medium-sized T-Rexes, playing around with such joy. Although they had grown up, Sid could still remember the. The two of them with brown eyes, one of which has brown spots on his nose, and the third one has blue eyes. It was the three dinosaurs Sid raised before. This made Sid ultimately happy to see them all again. He wanted to go greet them, but he was afraid he might turn into lunch. He remembered an old conversation with Manny, and Diego.

_"Please Manny! At least let me babysit her for a few hours!" said Sid._

_"No Sid. I know how good you can be with parenting dinosaurs, but seeing as how you handled with other kids, I still can't trust you." said Manny_

_"What? Why not? All the kids love me!"_

_"They hoist you on a rope, hang you at a tree and whack you with a stick."_

_"And they get happy! What's wrong with that?" _

_"You'll make Peaches a bad egg. Maybe soon she might want to whack another uncle instead of greeting him."_

_"Awww... I'd let my kids do that to me anyways..." _

_"If it were your dinosaur kids, they'd probably eat you right on the spot." said Diego_

_"Oh yeah... I wonder how they're doing now..." said Sid_

_"Probably having the time of their lives, let it go." said Manny._

_"I agree with Manny, if at some time you would meet them again, they'd probably not recognize you."_

_"What? That's impossible! I'm still their mother!"_

_"Correction. You're their snack now. Remember Sid, they were really young when you left them, so they probably won't even remember you."_

After remembering this, he looked at his kids one last time and went another way to catch up with the others.

**. . . . .**

"Guys! There you are!" said Sid, finally catching up with them and now trying to catch his breath. "Sorry I was gone for a while"

"Oh, you were gone?" asked Peaches, which made Sid's heart ache.

"Well, I'm hungry, so I'm going to get some fruit." said Crash.

"Wait up! I'm coming with you!" said Eddie.

And with this, Sid sat utterly silent.

Everyone was walking towards a destination unknown to them. And it wasn't long until the day was about to end.

* * *

Scoot was walking around all buffed and his muscle showing. Scratte was staring at him, clearly attracted to him. Scrat was watching at two things, _his_ nut and Scoot. Who was this squirrel? Although Scrat and Scratte couldn't have a nice relationship with each other, he couldn't help getting jealous at him. Half of him wanted his nut, and his other half wanting to take out his jealousy at Scoot. Caught between trying to decide which of the two he would do, he decided to just do both instead, and thought of a plan while still following them.

By the end of the day, Manny and his group had gotten to Half Peak. Ellie, Barret and Buck were catching up with Sid and his gang, but were still far away. For the latter, they had made camp at a clearing and snuggled up at a fire. The journey was still long.

* * *

**Xion the Author: This concludes this chapter! Hope you all enjoyed it! Phew! We're finally getting things moving. You can't write much with just sleeping animals. ^ . ^ For those of you who forgot, here are the groups:**

**Group 1: Sid, Crash, Eddie, Peaches**

**Group 2: Manny, Diego, Ryan (which WILL divide *spoiler*)**

**Group 3: Ellie, Buck, Barret**

**Group 4: Scrat, Scratte, Scoot**

**Xion the Author: Wew, made it really long. Revealed a part that will leave you cliff hanging. Bwahahahaha!!!! Thank you debit13 for your idea with Diego reminiscing conversations. I tried doing the same thing with Manny and voila! It's not as good but... voila! XD**

**Barret: HA! Checkmate!**

**Buck: Errr... I think I'm the black one and your the white one so, **_**your **_**checkmate bro!**

**Barret: Gack!**

**Ryan: Still not improving I see...**

**Buck: Hmm... I wonder where my knights went?**

**Ryan: (looks at Barret suspiciously)**

**Review please! **


	5. Here We Go

**Xion the Author: Hmmmm… this chapter actually was completely re-written, and I've forgotten almost everything. I tried to fill in as much as I could, try to remember or remake it all. At least any curious readers won't get disappointed and stuff.

* * *

**

_**Chapter V. Here We Go**_

Buck, Barret and Ellie were walking through thick plantain when suddenly they could see the atmosphere tint into green. A peculiar thin smog that had signaled Buck immediately on their current location.

"Looks like we'ah in the _Lake of Demise_, lads," said Buck after slashing through the last set of leaves covering their path.

The lake in front of them was dark-colored and bubbling with a foul smell that would make you wonder what made this place so appealing to the dinosaurs who resided here. The dirt they walked on seemed desolate and barren.

"Be careful, mammals," whispered Buck. "We're not alone he-ah" Though Ellie and Barret couldn't really hear anything, Buck was well aware of the fact that danger was afoot. "Here's the plan," he continued to whisper, "Try not to speak unless ya need to. Any amount of sound could possible wake up trouble. Just follow me, try to keep quiet, and stay away from the lake as possible.

The two nodded before Buck silently covered their lore. Ellie, with her large mammoth hooves, was extremely careful of each step. Barret, on the other hand, seemed a bit ignorant. He gazed at the strange scenery without any sense of caution.

As expected, one paw down on the ground, and a large snap of a twig echoed distinctively. Ellie gave him an atrocious look as the white weasel had a clumsy expression in his face. The sudden onset of loud growls and high-pitched squeals alerted that they were in the midst of danger.

"How could you possible make a noise!" blurted Ellie. "I'm a mammoth for pete's sake and I haven't made a peep to begin with"

"No use worrying about that now! We've got other problems," said Buck as the sounds grew louder and more apparent.

Suddenly, the bushes near them seemed to melt into vapor as pairs of red eyes emerged from the dark, revealing a small group of angry looking dinosaurs. They had double crests on their heads, green scales, and a knack for spitting acid from their mouths.

"Run!" cried Barret as it soon became a chase for their lives. They evaded the incoming acid spits as they ran. And just when they weren't in as much trouble as they already were, a large creature came out of the water and launched its fangs towards Barret.

Barret was able to notice it in time and grabbed on its upper lip, pulled it into as he leaped up and the crocodiles mouth snapped shut. Barret landed on top of its head and leaped to what he thought were rocks on the lake. Soon as he realized that rocks didn't have eyes or scaly surfaces, Barret became alerted that he had just put himself in more trouble.

"Woah," said Sid, the twins, and Peaches as they saw the path in front covered with fog. Sid suddenly turned back when the twins grabbed his tail and pulled him back. As lucky as they still were not becoming dino-lunch just yet, Sid had no plans of being so.

"You really think we should go through this place?" asked Sid.

"We're here to look for Buck, remember?" answered Crash. "If we have to *gulp* we got to"

"Just follow our lead Sid and you'll be fine," the twins said as they tried to hold a brave front. Knowing them, they were just as scared as he was. Peaches was fooled however and joyously followed them into the unknown.

As the thick fog covered the way almost entirely, Crash led the way with Eddie leaning his paws on his back, Sid following behind them with Peaches holding unto the sloth's tail. Lest did they know that right now they were in the _Labyrinth of Doom_.

* * *

**Xion the Author: Weird dialogue is also missing… sad… but here it is. Well, part of it. To any suspecting reader, my apologies, but I don't have the time to complete this. Sorry. I'll try to update this ASAP**


	6. A Big Surprise

**Xion the Author: Finally! Time to introduce the new OC! I've been going lmao watching Surviving Sid (a 7-minute show made by Blue Sky Studios). No offense Sid, but you don't know anything about survival.**

**Sid: Awww… come on!**

**Diego: It's true you know**

**Manny: You can't reject that. **

**Sid: You guys are just mean.

* * *

**

_**Chapter VI. A Big Surprise**_

Diana was a female saber-tooth tiger. She had green eyes and yellow orange fur. She was strikingly beautiful for a smilodon.

She was walking around in search of easy prey, hoping for a rabbit, or a small helpless critter. Anything to fill her stomach. She went around looking in the forest for anything to eat. After a while, she then decided to just go to a river and eat fish there.

"How long will we be traveling?" asked Manny to Ryan.

"Maybe in about to 3 to 4 days for you guys. In about two you'll reach the exit and you can go your way from there." answered Ryan as they walked. "But unless we encounter some humans, it might take longer."

Manny let a groan. "Tell me again why we agreed to let him lead us?" whispered Manny to Diego.

"Because although he's an amnesiac, he remembered some things and obviously knows more about this place than we do. Our best bet of getting out of here alive is with him." convinced Diego.

"I guess…"

They were walking through the forest. Birds were flying everywhere. Rabbits were hopping around from bush to bush. This was tempting Diego. They haven't eaten much during their travels.

Ryan stopped at a nearby river bank. He deeply looked at it and suddenly lost track. He was soon following it upstream. Manny was about to shout something at him when Diego stopped him. "Don't stop him. He might get like this often, but it's for his own good."

Manny was about to point out that it'll just slow them down when Diego again interrupted. "Look, I know this'll make things longer, but we should at least feel sorry for him. He's trying to remember his past after all…"

Manny wondered why Diego continuously defended Ryan. What exactly was the reason why Diego was somehow helping him all this time? He thought less to find out they were losing sight of Ryan and went to go after him.

* * *

"AAAAHHH!!!!" screamed Peaches as she saw a huge snake behind her. She ran as fast as she could, trying to escape.

"That's Peaches!" shouted Crash.

"We have to go help her!" shouted Eddie as well.

"Woah woah hold on guys. Which direction should we go anyways?" said Sid utterly shaking.

"Well we can't do anything!" said Eddie.

Another scream was heard behind them. Peaches was running away evading the snake attacks. The twins screamed out their lungs as they saw a huge black shadow forming a snake in the fog. Sid let out a girlish scream and ran as he screamed "RUUUUUUN!!!"

They all ran in separate directions. They all found themselves running around the maze. Peaches, running around the same as them, found her self outside the maze. Crash, Eddie and Sid was still inside being chased by the Titanoboa. They would only see parts of it as it attacked, clearing out the fog for only a split second.

When Peaches thought that it was all over, she then thought it wasn't. Because right in front of her, were three dinosaurs, looking at her, and they were hungry.

* * *

"AAAAHHH!!!" someone else was also screaming. Ellie was running from the Dilophasauruses spitting acid at them. Barret was jumping from crocodile back to crocodile back, one almost gnashed him when he jumped right into its mouth but got out of it just in time. Buck was busy fighting the dinosaurs trying to bite him. He took out his vine, and whipped the dinosaurs back.

"Barret!" shouted Buck concerned, "Get out of the lake! It's dangerous in the middle is-"

He was about to finish his sentence when a large Sarcosuchus sprang out of the water, swallowing Barret whole.

"No!" Buck cried. He took two stones and made a large spark on the ground. The ground suddenly rose up flames. Buck knew how to make a fire, and the acid was highly flammable. The acid-spitters withdrew from the flame. "Ellie, grab that log and defend yourself. I'll go after Barret. Can you do that for me?"

"Ummm…" Ellie shivered while picking it up. "I think I can."

"Alright. Time to get – BUCK WILD." Buck sprang into action jumping from crocodile to crocodile. He whipped lashed every rising croc trying to eat him, putting them back into the water. He then reached the middle of the lake, with water rippling out the center. Buck held on to a low-lying branch, waiting for it emerge.

The dilophasauruses were spitting acid at Ellie from behind the fire. The acid suddenly ignited as it passed through. Ellie was dodging and blocking the acid fire with the log she picked up. Thankfully, the fire didn't burn the log up quickly, but the way things were going, it was going bad.

The sarcosuchus sprang up to eat Buck, but that weasel was quick. He tied its jaw to the tree with his vine, keeping it wide open. The tree was strong enough to hold it upright for only a few minutes. He gave one look at Ellie, and as things were going for her, he had to be faster. He took a deep breath and dove right into its throat.

* * *

The three dinosaurs were looking intently at Peaches. As Peaches was crawling backwards, the three dinosaurs crept up towards her. She crawled back right into a wall. There was nowhere she could run. She just covered her eyes shivering as the dinosaurs were opening their mouths. Just as they were about to eat her, they heard a peculiar yet familiar yell coming from the labyrinth. They soon realized it and went straight into the entrance. Peaches looked out to see that they were gone

Sid was running for his life. The twins somehow ended up with him as well and the snake was hot on their trail. They all found themselves caught in a corner, and the snake was hissing, starving for its meal.

"Well, this is it guys." said Eddie.

"Bro… I just want to tell you that… that-" said Crash

"Yeah...?"

"I-I broke your dart shooter!"

"You what?!!"

"I was holding it and I just suddenly dropped it and it-"

"How could you?! How could you do this to me?!!"

"I'm sorry, it was just so small and fragile and-"

"Uhhh… guys… " gulped Sid "Can we pay more attention to the large snake in front of us?"

The snake was opening its jaws wide, ready to devour them when suddenly it was drawn back. The boys were soon watching it battling it out with three dinosaurs, although they could see only they're shadows, they could see that the three were winning. The snake, losing the fight, decided to retreat. The three dinosaurs then looked towards their direction and started running towards them. Sid, Crash, and Eddie were then snatched up right of their feet, and before they knew it, they were out of the _Labyrinth of Doom_.

* * *

The fire was going out. Ellie had a few options left. They had her cornered and she only had a few options left. The log she was holding was almost entirely coated with burning acid.

After a while, Buck got Barret out of the Super Croc's stomach, and both crawled out of it, slimy and gooey. As soon as they climbed out, the branch snapped and the crocodile was free. Buck snatched his vine right before it dropped. Buck held Barret tightly. "Don't you _ever_ try to do that again!"

Ellie threw her log at the dinosaurs. It knocked out a few of them, but some had evaded it. Ellie was now looking for another way, when Buck suddenly came to the picture and drew the dinosaurs back with his whip.

"Come on mammals! Let's get a move on!" They all ran straight towards the exit Buck showed them. Thankfully, they all got out unscathed.

* * *

Crash and Eddie got thrown unto the ground, and Sid was being tossed around and cuddled. It was his dinosaur kids who had saved them. They were all hugging him affectionately. And Sid of course, hugged back, showing just how he missed them.

"Cool." said Peaches although she got scared before.

The dinosaur kids suddenly tried to run up to her jaws wide when Sid swiftly blocked their way. "Nuh uh! She isn't food! She's a friend." said Sid trying to convince them. With this, they slowed down and licked her all over.

"Wow! They're all grown up!" said Crash in amazement.

"Yeah! They sure have!" said Eddie in awe as well. The dinosaurs took an interest in the possums but Sid then tried to convince them that they weren't food too.

Who knew? Diego and Manny could also be wrong. They _did _remember Sid.

* * *

Diego and Manny followed Ryan to a waterfall. Ryan was looking at it intently and saw a flashback through his eyes.

"_Hahahahahaha!" giggled the two little wolf cubs. The little boy cub was running around with the little girl cub in the shallow part of the river. "Come here!" the boy cub said. "I've got something to show you!"_

_The girl cub followed him behind the waterfalls._

Ryan entered behind the waterfalls as well and looked around him. There was a cave behind the waterfall. It was hollow and it wasn't entirely dark.

"_Now look!" said the boy cub pointing at the waterfalls with his paw. The girl cub gave a "Wow" as she saw the lights glimmering at the falls. It was beautiful. "Let's remember this place forever!" said the girl cub. The boy cub blushed, smiled and gave a nod._

Ryan was looking at the waterfalls from inside the cave now, with its glimmering lights as if falling down. While Manny and Diego were looking at him from outside, Diego heard movement in a nearby bush. Thinking it was a perfect time to eat lunch, he sneaked off and jumped into the bush. To his surprise, he saw a female saber-toothed tiger, and they were now looking at each other, growling at each other.

And after a while, Diego recognized that face.

"Sis?"

Diana was looking at Diego confusingly. She looked at him from head to tail while walking around. "Diego?" she said inspecting him. "Is that really… you?"

Diego smiled back. He had found his sister. "Yup!"

"Oh my god! I can't believe it! You're still alive!" Diana ran to him.

"Argh!" Diego let out after being hugged tightly. "I should be saying the same thing! And _I_ can't believe your with child!"

Diana was pregnant, for over five months now. Her round belly could be obviously seen. "Oh, umm... yeah. I guess this is a pretty awkward way to meet again."

"So who's the fa-"

"Hey, Diego! Where are you?!" just as soon as Diego was about to finish his sentence, Manny and Ryan interrupted looking for him.

"Friends of yours?" asked Diana.

"Errr… Sort of…"

Diego and Diana walked out of the bushes to meet up with the others. They went up to Manny and Ryan, and they went into a deep conversation.

"Uhhh… Diego…" questioned Manny. "Who's this?"

"My name's Diana. I'm Diego's sister."

Manny and Ryan looked at each other. They didn't know Diego had a sister, most of all, why hadn't Diego mentioned this before to the herd? Why is it that Diego didn't tell Manny that he had a sister?

"You must be his friends!" said Diana.

"Ummm… Diana, this here is Manny and this here's Ryan. Manny is part of my herd, and Ryan here, well, we just picked him off somewhere along the way." said Diego. Ryan, although knowing he was just picked up by them, frowned.

"Along the way? So you're going somewhere?" asked Diana.

"Well, yes. You see-"

"We were separated with the rest of our herd by wall suddenly springing up from below the earth. We've been traveling to go around, and Ryan here is showing us the way." Manny interrupted Diego again

"The rest of your herd? So there are more mammoths and smilodons other than us? I don't see much of us anymore. I thought I was the last of my kind!"

"Well, at least it's good to know your not." pointed out Diego. "And, about our herd, it's not really your ordinary kind of herd."

"*chuckle* I can see that." Diana replied looking at Manny.

"We should probably start moving again. Humans tend to come near the rivers to get water." said Ryan. "Sorry for the short delay. We'll come across a short clearing up ahead. We can spend the night over there."

"Can I come with?" asked Diana.

"Where's your mate? Don't you think he'll worry if you were gone?" said Manny.

"I… he's…" Diana couldn't answer. She looked down on the ground feeling a bit sad. Diego, noticing something was probably wrong, tried to comfort her.

"Uh… what he meant to say was, you can." said Diego. "You can come with us back to our herd!"

Manny looked at Diego. "Umm… Diego? Don't you think you should ask us if she join too?"

Diego looked back at Manny. Although he knew Manny _would_ let her join the herd, he asked anyways. "Can she _please_ join the herd?" Diego said sarcastically.

"Of course she can!" said Manny in total agreement. After all this time with him traveling, he finally smiled.

"Thank you!" said Diana enthusiastically.

"Alright, now that that's settled, let's go." said Ryan leading them. Diego looked at him. It seemed as if Ryan was also being impatient with parting with them like Manny parting with him. Ryan was hastening their departure. He must've remembered something new that made him this way.

* * *

"Are you okay bro?" asked Buck.

"Hehe… never better…" said Barret, feeling a little weak. "I just need a little bit of rest is all…"

Ellie looked at Buck. This was the first time she ever saw him this way, caring about someone he loved. She only knew him for the crazy demented weasel, but never as a caring older brother.

"You shouldn't really move a lot." said Buck trying to keep Barret down.

"It's okay I'm fine. I'm more worried about your daughter and the others Ellie." convinced Barret. "If they ever went through that lake back there too, I doubt they might

"What if they went through that other place?" instigated Ellie. "Think they could have made it there?"

"I dunno…" said Buck quite unsure. "With a little bit of luck, they probably could have. Well, maybe just some. That snake living there has an awfully short appetite. Maybe one or two possums could do the trick but…" Buck was about to continue his sentence but after seeing Ellie drastically worried, he simply tried to change the subject. "I'm sure they're fine!"

Ellie frowned. This wasn't at all good news. What had happened to her daughter… to her brothers… and to Sid too.

* * *

A large dinosaur roar was heard by everyone. Eggbert, Shelly, and Yolko heard it as well, and went running towards it. Sid thought about chasing them, but reconsidered instead. His kids had grown up, and it was time to let go of them.

As the three dinosaur kids ran off, Sid waved goodbye, and the twins just watched him.

"Were those your kids?" asked Peaches

Everyone looked at her. They remember telling her these silly of stories of Sid taking care of three dinosaur babies, and Peaches still remembered them.

"That's right little princess!" said Sid a bit teary. "What do you think of them?"

"They're a bit cool, but they're also kinda scary."

Everyone save Peaches chuckled. Sid hugged Peaches. Crash started hugging Eddie until Eddie shrugged him off.

"Come on. Let's go find Buck." said Sid

"W-what about your kids?" asked Crash. "Don't you wanna be with them?"

Sid thought for a while, and came to say this. "They're all grown up now. They can take care of their own."

Crash and Eddie looked at Sid, knowing just how much Sid loved him. As the dino kids went back, they went forward.

* * *

**Xion the Author: Looks like I gave a new cliffhanger huh? And it isn't really much of an introduction too… but anyways, more of her will be seen and more Ryan flashbacks in the following chapters! I went GOOGLE with all these dinosaurs you know… just search giant prehistoric etc here and voila! Three day delay!!! XD It's been a busy week for me, but now that I got things under control, I'm back to writing!**

**Buck: Finally!**

**Barret: Good to hear tha'!**

**Diana: I can't wait for what you'll be coming up with next.**

**Xion the Author: I'll give ya' a clue, or in the readers case, A SPOILER! *Drum roll* aaaaaand…. HUMANS!**

**EVERYONE GASPS.**

**Xion the Author: This way I DO leave a cliffhanger! Bwahaahahahahahaah!!!!!**

**Hope you enjoyed it! Till the next chapter! R&R! Tell me how I did!**


	7. Howling at the Moon

**Xion the Author: ^ . ^ NEW CHAPTER! The way things are going even if I extend the chapters, I think I'll still reach 10+. . . Oh well! Might as well continue writing!**

**Buck: Tha's the spirit!**

**Xion the Author: I listened to "Rusted Root – Send Me On My Way" and I really can't figure out the words being sang except the 'send me on my way' part… well! Time to go on with the story!

* * *

**

_**VII. Howling**_

The night was cold. At nights like this, it was good to have Sid around. Unfortunately for them, Sid wasn't with them. Diego started regretting his decision on keeping Sid with the others.

They all took camp at the clearing Ryan mentioned. Diego seemed to be the only one who wasn't asleep he thought. His past insomnia was caused by thought about his sister. Now that she was now with her, he felt a rush of solemnity fill him. He remembered their conversation when everyone else went to sleep ahead of them.

"_So, what happened, on the day you went missing?" asked Diego. The two of them were catching up, filling each other with answers to their questions._

"_Well, mom followed me downstream. I was taken by it really quickly, as you recall. She jumped into the water to try and grab me. We were about to fall down a steep waterfall. I lost consciousness when I hit a rock with my head. I think my mother just pulled me ashore and fell down the river down the waterfall, because when I woke up, I was lying on the edge of a cliff… and she was nowhere to be found."_

This had given Diego an explanation all these years why he had to raise himself alone. Every time he felt hardship alone, he would blame his mother. Filling his thoughts that she abandoned him, that she left him there alone for dead. Now he knew, and now all those thoughts of remorse had been washed away, and Diego felt like he could finally relax.

"Psst. You awake?" Just as Diego was about to close his eyes, Manny approached him and tried to talk with him.

"Yeah… what is it?" asked Diego

"It's just…. *sigh* why didn't you tell us you had a sister?" said Manny

It was about to begin, what Diego had been trying to avoid. Manny getting all hyped up and emotional about his family. God knows what he'll do. "It's complicated."

"How so?"

"As in, I'd rather not talk about it."

"Come on, we're your friends here, your herd. You can tell us." encouraged Manny, trying to make Diego talk about his past.

After a while of trying, Diego finally opened up. As Diego narrated his story, Manny stood silent as he listened. Ryan was awake the whole without them knowing. He listened to his story as well, and probably found out why Diego had been helping him all this time.

* * *

"So, where to now bro?" asked Barret curious as ever. He had sprained his right leg disabling him to walk, so he rode on Ellie instead while they traveled.

"We'll be going to the _Pillars of Uncertainty_. If we make due we'll catch up with yer daughter if they went the other way." replied Buck

Ellie was thinking what happened to them. Were they still alive? Are they okay? Have I failed as a parent? These thoughts completely filled Ellie's mind.

"W-what kind of dinosaurs live there now?" said Barret along with his usual fear and inquisitiveness.

"None really." said Buck. "The only difficulty there are the easily collapsing rock pillars falling by any means of touch. They're completely unstable. One shake and BAM! The entire place comes crashing down."

Barret simply tried to smile, but somehow he didn't feel his usual terror. It seemed he felt somehow protected now that his brother was by his side.

* * *

"_Don't you think it's pretty?" asked this little girl wolf cub. She pointed at the moon shining above without a single cloud in sight._

"_Yeah, I guess it is." said this little boy wolf cub. He sat beside her while looking at it. Aiming to impress her, he stands up and howls out into night. The girl stood up as well and came howling with him. Love was being born._

"_Nia? Nia where are you?" a strange voice came out of nowhere._

"_That's my dad. You have to go." said the girl wolf named Nia._

"_I'll see later then." said the boy wolf cub as he ran into the woods._

"_Nia… Nia…"_

"Ryan… Ryan… Ryan!" said Manny shaking him with his trunk. "Wake up!"

Ryan got up to see that everyone else had woken up earlier than him. "Was I asleep too long"

"Not really, no. We all just woke up 'cause you were talking in your sleep." pointed out Diego. "And you got a little bit of drool there"

"What? I was?" said Ryan wiping off the drool on his mouth.

"Yeah… you were going 'Nia! Nia!'" said Diana joining in their conversation.

"Who's Nia?" asked Diego. "Friend of yours?"

"I'm not quite sure." answered Ryan. "Things have been complicated for me as you may have known. I'm slowly remembering things, mostly overnight. Maybe someday I might remember who she is."

"Well, let's get moving then." said Manny. "Come on, you lead the way."

* * *

"Woah…" was all the twins could say at what they saw. Giant pillars of rocks were balanced on top of each other, making them wonder how in the world this was made.

"Wow…" said Peaches. She was so curious she attempted to touch one of the pillars, when Sid stopped her.

"No don't touch it! It might fall!" he said.

"Yeah… the way things happen here are really complicated." said Crash. "We should really be more careful. Who knows what might happen."

The gang was deciding if they should go through. They were getting too scared of what might happen inside. Peaches remembered how they all could have been killed when she drifted out in the maze. "We can do this. Let's go."

The boys were surprised by what Peaches said. This reminded them of a little bit of her parents. As Peaches lead the way inside, they followed without knowing they were.

Just as soon as the Sid and the gang went inside, Ellie, Buck, and Barret had just began to see it.

"There it is! The Pillars of_ Uncertainty_…" said Barret trying to copy how adventurous Buck says the names places they would go to.

Ellie looked at him. He really was trying to be like his idolized big brother.

"We should be careful when we're in there." warned Buck. "Any movement done to those rocks will make it tumble and could cause a domino effect makin' all of these things to crash down."

"How in the world were these things made in the first place?" blurted out Ellie in disbelief after seeing tons of pillars with rocks piled on to each other.

Buck thought for awhile. He was also mystified by this, but never really cared. "Maybe it was done by a natural occurrence or a crazy yet somehow intelligent dinosaur piled it all onto each other. Either way, we're still going in, so enough chit-chat and let's go."

And with that, they went in with all their hopes up.

* * *

Ryan was leading the way with Diana. They were arguing about which direction they would go. Manny and Diego were following behind them.

"We should go this way." said Ryan. "It's the fastest way out human territory."

"Yeah but it's dangerous!" argued Diana. "They built a human outpost there and we could encounter humans along the way if we're not careful."

"We'll just take our chances" argued Ryan back. "The way you're leading us could take even _more_ days!"

"Yeah but it's the safest route!"

"That's because it's up in the mountains!"

"Okay, enough!" blurted out Manny steaming with irritation. But even as he shouted at the top of his voice, they continued to argue.

"We go right." said Ryan

"We go left" said Diana

"_Right_."

"_Left._"

"_RIGHT." _

"_LEFT"_

"_RIGHT!"_

"_LEFT!"_

Just as they were about to 'finish' each other's argument, a spear came flinging out onto the ground. They heard men shouting out their battle cries.

"Humans!" said Diego. "We have to get moving now!" Just as they were about to run, humans were blocking their way. They were trapped. They had them in all directions.

"Well…" said Manny. "Looks like we fight."

"Get behind me." said Diego to Diana. The humans were holding spears at them. They were outnumbered. But to their surprise, Ryan attacked first.

* * *

"Just how big is this place?" said Peaches in amazement.

"This place is kinda creepy…" said Eddie. "It has an… eerie feeling."

"You don't think *gulp* there's another giant snake here…" said Crash. Now the two boys were shaking again.

"Naw… I don't think so." said Sid. "If there were something as big as that living here, all these pillars shouldn't be here.

Crash and Eddie looked at Sid. "What?" he said. This was the first time they heard Sid saying something smart. They thought that he might be evolving in front of their eyes. But they stopped as Sid tripped unto a pillar, causing it to unbalance and all the rocks piled up on it started falling.

"Sid!"

Ellie, Barret and Buck heard the crashing of rocks. And what followed it was a familiar girlish screech.

"That's Sid!" shouted Ellie.

"What?" said Barret confusingly. "You sure about that?"

"It has to be him!" said Ellie

"Only one way to find out!" said Buck. "Follow that girlish scream!"

Sid, Peaches and the twins are running for their lives from the falling boulders. They grew wearier as each boulder rolled beside them. Sid was lagging behind them, screaming like a girl as always. A big shade covered them from the light above them. Crash looked up and to his horror saw a big boulder coming down at them.

"Watch out!" he shouted. They scrambled out as soon as the boulder hit the ground. All the other pillars were starting to collapse. Crash and Eddie was being followed by a rolling boulder. They were about to get mushed when something pushed them.

The boys were closing their eyes. And when they opened it they saw the their crazy one-eyed idolized weasel. "Hello boys!"

"Buck!" said the twins in unison

Peaches was running left to right, avoiding each and every boulder smashing unto the ground. A giant boulder was about to hit her unknowingly when her mother had snatched her away just in time.

"Mom!" Peaches said, finally adoring her mother's hug again.

"Peaches! Oh, my sweet, sweet daughter." said Ellie. "Don't you ever run away again like that you hear me?"

"Ummm… fellas!" shouted Barret on top of Ellie. "Now really isn't the time for reunions." Reminding them that they weren't out of trouble yet.

They got back up and started running. Buck caught up with the boys and Sid still lagging behind. In the end, they all made it out just in time.

* * *

Ryan barked and growled at the hunters. He intimated each and every one of them. All of them were flinching with Diego roaring with him. As one hunter tried to launch a spear attack, Ryan evades and bites the spear, breaking it into pieces in an instant.

Another hunter tried to make his move but Manny grabbed him and threw him away. He pushed off every hunter in his way with his tusks, making them fly.

Diego was busy trying to defend Diana. He only defended but never attacked. He still didn't have much of his 'edge' back, and with Diana behind him he couldn't really fight well. Ryan on the other hand was breaking every hunter spear pointed at him and bit the human either on the arm or the leg.

The hunters were overpowered, and retreated back into the woods. Only a few remained unscathed, and the others were badly injured.

"Well, they should be gone for now." said Manny. "But we should get going fast, they might call for backup.

"Off to the mountains then…" agreed Ryan with Diana. Diana grinned at him knowing she was right all along.

"No." interrupted Diego. "We go through the human outposts."

"What?" said everyone.

"The best way to evade the humans is by leaving their territory as fast as possible. They probably think we might head to the mountains."

"So we risk getting hunted by humans just to run away from other humans. _That_ makes sense." she said sarcastically.

"Maybe that is the best way." said Manny. "It's better that way than the other. Those humans will keep hunting us down while we're in their territory."

"*sigh* I guess so…" said Diana.

"Then we go right." said Ryan, grinning at Diana as he says it.

* * *

"Oh Peaches, I'm so glad you're okay." said Ellie, hugging her so tightly she could hardly breath without a trunk.

"Ellie!" said the twins as they scurried to her.

"Boys!" said Ellie as if missing them until she hits them on their heads.

"OW! What was that for?" said Eddie.

"What were you thinking? Leading Peaches into a cave like that?" said Ellie angrily.

"Well… we didn't really know that it would lead to Dinoland so- Ow!" Crash was interrupted when Eddie hit him. "What did _you_ do that for?"

"Don't tell her it was our idea!"

"Yeah well don't say that out loud!" the twins argued and saw Ellie raising an eyebrow at them. "Oops… busted."

Just as they were about to get a tantrum lecture from Ellie, Barret came down to greet them. "Hello lads!" he said. "The name is Barret! B-A-double R- E-T!" I'm Buck's younger brother!"

"Wow!" the twins said adoringly. "Do you have great adventures every day like Buck?"

"Well, not really.. but-"

"Do you have an arch-dino-enemy like Buck?" they asked with enthusiasm.

"Actually, no- I –"

"Do you have a cool knife like Buck too?" asked the boys before hearing the answers properly. Barret was bombarded with questions where most of his answers were no. Everyone was getting happy with their reunions.

* * *

It was night. The gang took rest hidden in a part of the forest. While Manny and Diana were sleeping, Diego and Ryan were having a conversation.

"So, how did you learn to fight like that?" asked Diego.

"I'm not really sure, I mean, I think my step-father taught me all that." replied Ryan

"Really?" said Diego. "You remember that much now?"

"Well, yeah, I suppose. Just some old childhood memories. I remember being adopted by my step father. My real folks abandoned me when I was a cub etc etc. And-"

Just as Ryan was about to finish relating some of his memories, he heard a loud peculiar yet familiar sound. The sound of howling. Ryan stood up and listened to it. There was no doubt about whose it was.

"Uhh… Ryan?" asked Diego until Ryan ran off into the direction of howl. "Hey, wait up!"

Ryan was running like his life depended on it. Diego was catching up with every breath he had. They finally came to a stop to a cliff, where the moon could be seen glowing intensely bright. A wolf was there howling into the night. Ryan knew who it was.

Nia.

* * *

**Xion the Author: Wahoo! Feels like it's been a long time since I've updated, so I made this chapter a bit longer! The gangs in the world below have finally reunited, and now Ryan is gonna get reunited with his girl! Things aren't almost gonna end! Not even a bit! There still more to come so keep reading!**

**Sid: Wow! No cliffhangers!**

**Manny: That's a surprise**

**Diego: Sure is.**

**Xion the Author: That's okay, there will be soon! Bwahahahahahahahahahaha!**


	8. Reunion and Departure

**Xion the Author: Checkmate.**

**Barret: Grrr!**

**Xion the Author: I win, but I have to admit, you didn't cheat in any way so you must be really improving.**

**Barret: Err… right… I didn't…**

**Xion the Author: . . .? So anyways, here's the new chapter! It's not fast-paced or action packed or anything but I hope you enjoy it! Long intro, skip ahead of this if you like... It's time I let Diego be the star! Manny has the spotlight too much! Sid, well, has... a bit.**

**Sid: . . .**

**Xion the Author: I WILL let Diego have a major part in this story. In the first movie he was the bad guy that went good, in the second he was the denial hydrophobic that soon admitted it and no longer feared water. In the third he was losing his "edge" and got it back anyways in the end. This was how it was for him through my perspective. Time for a little change.**

**Diego: Oh boy...**

**Xion the Author: But all is not lost for Manny. He will still take a major role in the story. I will rant about something lost considering him in a future chapter, but for now, I WILL LET YOU STAND IN THE SIDELINES.**

**Manny: Okay...**

**Xion the Author: I've done pretty much a lot to Ellie. I've made her a caring mother, and now that I think about it, I should make Manny father-like. I forgot about that but I will do something about it.**

**Ellie: You better!**

**Xion the Author: The twins... ohhh... I am planning things for you guys!"**

**Crash and Eddie: That... sounds scary...**

**Xion the Author: I've done what I've planned with Buck, give him a totally different personality, so I'll just emphasize that **_**adventurer**_** in him! **

**Buck: Wha'?**

**Xion the Author: My OCs don't need this ranting about, cause they really weren't in any of the movies XD. So on with the story!

* * *

**

_**VIII. Reunion and Departure**_

While Nia looked at moon glimmering so brightly, Ryan went to approached her. She heard something in the shadows. "Who's there" she asked.

"It's…" said Ryan appearing before her. "Me."

"R-Ryan?" said Nia while she stared at him. "Is that… really… you?"

A smile went across Ryan's face. They slowly walked towards each other. At a point where they were close, they looked at each other, and their lips slowly met.

"Diego!" said Diana, running to him. "There you are! What are you-"

She saw Diego watching Ryan and another wolf with their foreheads touching. The look in each others eyes was obvious enough to tell that they were in love.

"Is that her?" ranted Diana at Diego. "Is that- that 'Nia' girl?"

"Uhh…" Diego said. "Yeah, it is."

"Aww… and just looked at them… they were made to be together…"

"Hmph, yeah. A match made in heaven." Diego looked at her. She was smiling, but then it suddenly turned into a frown. "What was the matter with her?" he thought.

"Come on." Said Diego, urging Diana to come with him. "Let's go back."

"B-but why?" complained Diana.

Diego looked Ryan and Nia. "We should probably give them some privacy." And so they went back to camp to get some sleep.

* * *

"All right lads!" said Buck. "I guess you'd all want to go back up now!"

"Yup!" said Sid.

"We sure do." said Ellie.

"Awww…" said Peaches. "But we just got here!"

"You really think I'd let you stay in this dangerous place for one more second?" Ellie asked smiling, cuddling her as she said it.

"But we just met Buck again!" complained Crash.

"Can we _please_ stay longer?" begged Eddie.

"Yeah, pretty_ pretty please _with sprinkles on top!" pleaded Crash.

Ellie gave them – THE EYE, and immediately they stopped talking.

"Well, I could get you back up there in a jiff! Problem is, I don't know any other cave going up!" said Buck

"What?!" said Ellie outraged. "I thought you said there were a whole lot of caves!"

"Yes, yes I did. But what I meant to say was that I don't know which way to go to those _other_ caves."

"What do you mean by that?" asked Sid.

"You'll find out eventually. Come on, I'll take you lot back to my shack!" said Buck.

"You have a shack?!!" intrigued Barret.

"Cool!" said the twins in unison.

"Course I do. You didn't really think I live up in a tree or under a rock?" said Buck as he lead them there.

"Wait, no, that's not what I meant-" said Barret as he was being left behind. "-Oh forget it."

* * *

"You have amnesia?" asked Nia, worried about Ryan. She looked at the scar across his face. Where in the world did he get it?

"Uhh… yeah." replied Ryan ashamed of being oblivious. "If it weren't for Diego and the guys-"

"Who's Diego?" asked Nia suddenly.

"Oh, he's a friend of mine. So is Manny, I think." said Ryan. "It happened in a blizzard. I got lost and collapsed in the snow. And then came Manny and Diego and picked me off."

"Like the way your stepfather took you in?" asked Nia. "Do you still remember that?"

Ryan nodded. He did, and remembered every single detail.

"_It's so… white. Snow? A blizzard. It's so cold. Mommy? Daddy? Where are you"_

_I fell on the snow. "It's been, how long? Two or three days? Where are they?"_

"_Mommy? Daddy? Where are you…?"_

_A big wolf came to approach me. He picked me up, and took me in from that day on._

_And eventfully, it was as if the same thing did happen to me. These two guys just picked me of the snow. I must be darn lucky._

"So, you remember most of your childhood memories, but some are still in that thick noggin of yours?"

"Thick? What do you mean by that?"

"Well when we were kids I remember you falling down a lot, and most of those times you'd land on you head."

"Really? Did I really fall down a lot before"

"Hehe, yes!" she said. They were catching up as if they had been away from each other for a long time.

* * *

"Here we are!" said Buck. "My dear and humble abode!"

It was a small hut built on top of the trees. Vines were hanging directly below it making them easy to be climbed up by any weasel in particular.

"It's not much, but it should accommodate all rodents alike!" said Buck "Sorry mammoths, you'll have to stay down here"

"Cool." uttered the twins and Barret as they looked at it from below.

"You think it's cool from down here, wait till you see what's up there." As the possums scurried up hurriedly to the tree hut, Buck hoisted Barret with the low-lying vines, went up there faster than possums that had a head start, and pulled Barret up just as soon as the twins arrived.

It was a big hut with things scattered around the place. There were wooden platforms on other near trees connected by small bridges. One in particular Buck went to. Barret followed him to it. The twins were checking all the things hanged and scattered in the place. There was a battle horn fashioned made of dinosaur horn. They remembered him using that before. There was a peculiar rectangular rock. Some bones and etc.

Barret found Buck tinkering with a cone-shaped object, looking through it in all sorts of directions. "What's that?" he asked.

"It's a telescope" he said still looking through it. "I made it with this shiny white gem and this leaf to make me see _really_ far." Replied Buck.

"Wow… how far can you see?"

"As far as I want!" said Buck. "Now, lets see… aha! Barret come here, check this out!"

Barret limped to the telescope while Buck held it in place. Barret looked through it and saw a cave. "Hey! Think it could be a way up?" he asked.

"Sure is! I think I saw a dinosaur living there, but I'm not quite sure what it is." Buck said.

He was right. There was something living there. "Wait, how does a dinosaur living there make it an exit to the world above?" asked Barret.

"Easy! They always do!" said Buck.

Barret couldn't find the logic in it, but ignored it either way. "So, technically, how do we get there?"

"Hmmm… let me see…" Buck tried to see more but couldn't due to the lateness of the hour. "We should probably get some shut eye. It's getting really late and all… I'll tell you all in the morning."

"Okay, hope you don't mind, I think I'll sleep up here. I think the mammoths are already sound asleep." Barret said as he crossed the tiny bridge. "Hehe, and so are the twins."

"Well then, best go to sleep. I'll go down to guard the mammoths; you all get some rest up here."

"Okay."

Just as Buck was about to go down, Barret stopped him.

"Buck, wait."

"Yeah? What is it?"

Barret paused for awhile and continued. "Thanks. For everything."

"Don't mention it! It's what brothers do. Now go get to bed! We've got a lot of things to do tomorrow!" Buck mentioned, and went of downwards. Barret lied down on the wooden floor and slept.

* * *

"So, where did you get that scar?" asked Nia.

Ryan thought for awhile. He couldn't remember when he got that scar, or how, but he knows he has one. "Why?" he thought. Nia looked at him. Obviously it was getting late. And she thought it was better if they got some sleep.

"I should go." she said. "My father could be waiting for me."

"Yeah, I guess…" he remembered them having secret meetings with each other. Her father didn't agree with her going off with someone else.

"Do… do you wanna come with?" asked Nia.

"No, I should probably go back with Manny and Diego. I'm leading them out of the human territory here.

Nia looked sad. They had just met again, and they were going to say goodbye to each other.

"I'll be back tomorrow." said Ryan. "I promise."

And they kissed again, and went separate ways. Ryan went back to the herd and found them all sleeping. He then went to a nice patch of grass and lied down. He couldn't sleep anyways. Nia went back to her pack. Everyone there was also sleeping save her father. He was waiting for her to come back to their cave. Her father wanted to raise something up, but seeing the loneliness in her eyes, he left her alone. And from separate places, they watched the moon go away, and the sun rise in their eyes.

* * *

"Rise and shine everyone!" said Buck. Jumping around his shack waking Barret and the twins up. "Everybody go down now! We've got to discuss a few.. err.. things."

They were all looking at each other wondering what it could be. They all hurried down the vines. Barret's foot seemed to be better now. He could walk but he shouldn't probably strain it.

"Come on mammoths!" shouted Buck, jumping on them to wake up. "Wakey wakey!"

Peaches gave out a short yawn, still a bit drowsy. Ellie was wondering what the big rush was about. Barret, Crash and Eddie came in from above, sliding down the vines and landing on their feet.

"Announcement mammals! Gather 'round now!" said Buck gathering them. "Listen everyone, I've found a cave that'll lead us back up."

Everyone felt excited. Even the twins. They were finally going back home. Well, everyone save Barret. Should he really go back, or should he stay?

"It'll take us a few days to get there, but with me along I can guarantee your safety." assured Buck. "We'll have to go through some places first though."

They all looked at each other, knowing just what that means.

"We'll be heading to Still Lake. That's where the cave is located. To get there-"

He started drawing paths on the dirt like he did before.

"First we'll have to go through the _Land of Fallen Rocks_. It's what I know call the late Pillars of Uncertainty. Nothing really dangerous there, just naming the venue."

They all looked at him. They were all wondering why he was naming it. He named it as if he owns it.

"Second, we'll have to go through the _Chasm of Death_. You lot should remember that."

"Ugh…" said Crash, remembering the foolish experience they had before.

"But we'll be crossing through a different part in it, so things we'll be a little bit complicated. After that we'll be going through _Silhouette Tunnel."_

"Sounds easy." said Eddie.

"Oh, it won't be easy crossing there…" said Buck in a creepy way, making the boys shiver. "Not... one... bit..."

"Umm… guys…" said Barret.

"What is it Barret?" asked Peaches. Ellie though it was cute and cuddled her.

"Where's that floppy green friend of yours?"

They all looked around and shouted his name. Sid was nowhere to be found.

* * *

Diego, Diana, Manny and Ryan were traveling again, this time in much faster pace trying to avoid humans at all cost. Although Diana felt tired easily, she kept it to herself so she won't slow them down. Diego was walking behind her, and Manny and Ryan were up front.

Ryan was walking beside Manny. Knowing their relationship wasn't at all, good, Ryan tried talking with him.

"So…" said Ryan.

"What?" said Manny blankly.

"I heard from Diego you have a mate and a daughter. Is that correct?"

Manny looked at him. He didn't really want to be reminded of it. It felt painful cause he wasn't with them. It also reminded him of the horrible tragedy with his family before. "Yeah. Why do wanna know?"

"Oh, it's just, I wanted to… you know… get to know you more."

"You don't need to. As soon as we reach the exit to this place, we'll say our goodbyes and go on separate ways."

Ryan fell silent. He felt like he shouldn't say anything anymore. But as they come up the hill, he talked anyways. "There it is!" he shouted. "The exit."

They had finally reached the exit out of the human territory.

"And no human in sight." said Diana.

"Looks like this'll be where we head off in different directions. Just follow the path downwards and you'll be there in no time." said Ryan "Bye". He started walking away when they stopped him.

"Wait." said Manny.

Ryan turned around towards him, pondering what he would say to him.

"Thank you. We couldn't have gotten here without you." said Manny.

Ryan was surprised. He didn't expect him saying that. Most of all Diego was surprised.

"Hmph… don't mention it." said Ryan. "Well, wish me luck." He then started to walk again when Diego stopped him this time.

"Hey." said Diego. "I'm coming with you."

* * *

Sid was wondering about in the woods. He had been walking the whole night. He was completely exhausted. He got lost from the rest of the herd the day before and had been walking in search of where they were.

"Guys?" he shouted around effortless. He did after all, didn't get any sleep. "Guys, where are you?" He stretched his arms and yawned, getting sleepier by the minute.

He was breathing hard. He finally reached the point he could no longer walk. He planned to rest on the ground on his back, and try to get some sleep.

But right after lying on the ground, a small dinosaur came. He looked at him with its head tilting around left to right. Sid got surprised and let out a yelp. But the dinosaur remained tilting its head looking at him. Sid thought it might be docile and tried to approach it.

He reached out his hand and put it on its head. He patted it softly, but the dinosaur did not even move. Sid felt it was kind and was relieved.

Suddenly, more of them started appearing from the bushes, and they all started looking at Sid menacingly. As the Deinonychus (die-no-NEEK-us) pack was closing in on him. It was obvious enough for him that they wanted him as lunch.

Sid started screaming and started running. The small dinosaurs gave him a head start, and went to chase him. Sid was running in zigzags, running left then right then left again, but the dinosaurs were too fast and were getting close. They started trying to bite him. Sid screamed like a girl and was trying to avoid their jaws. His big thighs were juggling around, making the dinosaurs follow its left-to-right motion with their tilting heads.

Sid then found himself nearing a cliff and stopped running. He turned around to find the dinosaurs leaning on him, closer and closer. "Uh oh" he said. He walked backwards slowly until there wasn't any ground left. He was now on the edge of a cliff. The dinosaur up front finally tried to bite him. But Sid jumped falling into the thick trees and they watched him from above. He fell from branch to branch and leaf to leaf. After falling through the branches of the tall trees, he was now falling without anything to slow or break his fall. He started praying when he got tangled by vines. He got caught in this situation before.

"Sid!" Ellie, Crash, Eddie, Peaches, Buck and Barret shouted as they saw him suddenly appearing from the skies.

"What in the world?" said Buck, looking at the sky where he fell from. "How did you-"

"Umm… a little help here." said Sid as he was hanging from the vines. Buck cut them, and Sid landed on the ground with a big thud. "Gee... thanks..."  


* * *

"Diego?! What?!" said Manny. "Tell me you're kidding."

"Manny" replied Diego. "I'm gonna help Ryan. I feel like I have to help him."

"But what about the rest of the herd? Are you going to just leave us like this?"

"I'm not leaving. Just, temporarily." explained Diego. "You go on ahead without me. I'll be there in probably a few days-"

"Please" said Ryan. "You've helped me go through a great ordeal, and I appreciate it, but I'll be fine from here-"

"No you won't" interrupted Diego. "Trust me."

Diego looked at Ryan sympathetically, knowing how things never work out when you're alone.

"Diego." said Diana. "Are you sure about this?"

"I am" he replied with certainty, no doubts whatsoever.

"Well then…" said Manny. "I can't tell you what you want to do but." He paused a bit and sighed. "Stay safe. And… come back. I mean-" Manny suddenly started feeling embarrassed, and tried to find an excuse. "-Peaches will miss you, and so will the rest of the herd, and-"

"I'll miss you too Manny." said Diego, knowing Manny can't fool him. "I will come back. I promise."

Diana was looking at the two of them. They have probably been through a lot together. Diana frowned. She wanted to get out of this place with her new-found brother. She didn't want to stay for a reason.

"Well… if you're tagging along," said Ryan. "I'm heading this way."

"Nuh-uh. There are humans there." argued Diana. "We are not heading that way. This way is better." She pointed the other way.

Manny looked at Diego. He hasn't seen Diego so determined. He then left and traveled alone. A bitter experience he had before. He only looked back once, and never bothered looking back again.

"So" said Diego to Ryan. "Just what are you planning to do?"

"I'm planning on talking with Nia." Ryan replied. "There are things… I want to talk to her about." They then started walking.

They were all silent as they traveled. Very silent. Annoyed by this, Diana tried to break the silence.

"Can we please talk about something?!" blurted Diana. "Can you guys at least smile?"

Diego and Ryan looked at each other. They nodded, looked at Diana and they both gave her a big unusual smile.

"Oh come on!" she shouted.

Then they laughed. It had been a long time since Diego has been with people around his height. It was a sort-of nostalgic feeling.

Although they were laughing, Diana still couldn't stop feeling sad. She really wanted to get of this place. It was too hard for her.

* * *

"Well!" said Barret. "Now that Sid's here, we can finally continue onwards!"

"What?!" said Sid. "But I'm tired, and I haven't slept for a while now."

Peaches started running to him and asked him "Uncle Sid, are you okay?"

This gave Sid a warm feeling and he replied. "I am now! Thanks to you little Peaches!"

Peaches smiled and ran back to her mother's side. How good it must be to have kids. Although he knows just how good it was, Sid wasn't planning on adopting dinosaurs anymore. They then finally started walking

"Hey Crash!" said Eddie. "Let's *whisper* *whisper* *whisper*"

Crash gave a nod and they went off as planned. While Sid was walking looking at other things they ran a bit ahead of him. Eddie pulled Crash's tail, and as Sid walked by, he tripped and his face landed on disgusting gunk.

"Nice one bro!" Crash said and gave Eddie a high five.

Barret looked at Sid and he felt like it was a daily occurrence for him, and felt a bit sorry for him.

* * *

**Xion the Author: By far the hardest thing to write for me is love scenes, especially if the plot is 'forbidden lov-ish" (spoiler? I dunno about you. You should've gotten that figured before.) The new OC is here so now might be a good time to say this.**

**I OWN THE OCs BARRET, DIANA, NIA, AND RYAN.**

**Xion the Author: Once again, a little bit late with those things.**

**Buck: More interesting places to come-**

**Ryan: More of my flashbacks-**

**Diana: My problem will be revealed -**

**Manny: And more about me-**

**Xion the Author: **_**Might**_** fill the next chapter! I will now announce that there is **_**no**_** regular schedule for my updating. It could take 1-3 days or even more but I'm just saying to make the chapter longer . I should also probably name Nia's father. I never came up with it… I couldn't upload this ASAP cause I can't (damn it! Stupid internet!)**

_I admit it... everyone makes second to third drafts with their stories every once in a while... This is an edited chapter. Tried to add a few contents to make it more exciting._


	9. How We Left And Why We Wanted To

**Xion the Author: Back to squirrels! I sometimes get frustrated while writing this, describing each and every action they make in detail. Grrr!**

**Diego: Just relax... stay calm... and breathe...**

**Xion the Author: okay.... Alright! Now back to the main plot! I have a lot more to write about, mostly about Ryan now that Diego's past has been cleared up. Diana is gonna open up this chapter so enough chit-chat, here we go~!**

**Manny: … this is one hell of a long chapter you have here…**

**Xion the Author: Pasts are my specialty! And here it is piping hot!

* * *

**

_**Chapter IX. **__**How We Left And Why We Wanted To**_

Scrat is running for his life, and by life I meant acorn. He's running for his acorn. He looked back to see no one following him. He thought that maybe Scratte had finally given up. But as he glanced back once more, she suddenly came out of the sky, hitting him. She grabbed _his_ nut and snatched it from his arms. Scrat screamed. As Scratte tried to run away, Scrat snagged her tail and pulled her towards him. They're bodies were close, and they were looking at each other intensely.

(BACKGROUND MUSIC, ASSASSIN'S TANGO. You have to listen to it to know just what they are doing)

Scrat and Scratte were dancing the tango with the rhythm. They were passing the nut along in every beat. Scrat pulls the nut to himself, but Scratte pulls it back. Scratte choked and slapped Scrat as he grabbed for it. She dragged him on the ground with the nut in her hands. Scratte is holding the nut when Scrat trips her and catches it. But as soon as he does, Scratte kicks _**his NUTS**_and he squeals in pain. Scratte takes the acorn and again tries to make a run for it when Scrat slides from below her. She holds the nut up high and and Scrat holds its tip. He turns Scratte around and they begin swaying again with the music. Her voluptuous body moving in sweet harmony, her soft tail seducing him with every move.

Her grace and beauty. It was incomparable when she danced from Scrat's perspective. Scrat started falling for her again, and so did she, when Scoot came in and threw her away. Scrat squeeled at the sight of the homo squirrel. Scoot takes Scrat's arms and then _they_ start dancing. Two minutes of the song has passed. Scrat tries to avoid Scoot trying to kiss him while they danced. He was utterly disgusted. Scratte came along pushing Scoot. She then turned to look at Scrat with her dazzling eyes. Scrat was falling for her, and he could see she was falling for him as well.

The last minute of the song is left. Scoot tries to interfere. He walks up to her and slaps her. She grunts, and slaps him back. Scrat tries to stop them, but Scoot grabs his left arm. Scrat tries to yoink his arm from him but couldn't. He was oddly strong for a gay squirrel. Scratte gets angry at what Scoot did and takes Scrat's right arm. Scrat yelps, and then the two starts to pulling him towards each other in opposite directions. Scrat moans at every pull. He tries to get away but Scratte turns and twirls his arm around her body.

Scrat feels all-googly when Scoot pulls Scrat towards himself and again tries to kiss him. Scrat couldn't escape. He squirms and squirms but couldn't budge. Scoot was holding him with both arms. Scrat was screaming. Scoot's lips were almost touching his, until Scratte hits his head with the acorn, knocking him unconscious. Scrat was free from his clutches! Scoot lies on the ground asleep.

(AND THE MUSIC ENDS HERE)

Scratte was again seducing Scrat. She smiled at him and he smiled back at her. They held each others hand and ran away as far as possible. They can't stop looking at each other

After a while, Scoot finally wakes up. He shakes his head to see that they weren't around anymore. He sees the acorn on the ground and thinks. He just might have a way to win Scrat....

* * *

"Well that wasn't exciting…" said Crash. They had just passed through the _Land of Fallen Rocks. _There really wasn't anything in there to begin with.

"At least we're safe!" said Sid, trying to be less enthusiastic about the danger and excitement part in their journey and sticked to safety instead.

"Awww… come on Sid!" said Eddie. "Have you _ever_ tried living?"

"What do mean by that?!" said Sid. "I… live."

"Yeah… you sleep on a tree, fall off of it and there you go, living la vida loka…" said Crash sarcastically. Sid got annoyed by this but left it off anyways.

"So I guess now it means we're heading to the _Chasm of Death _tomorrow_." _said Ellie

"So, why did they call it the _Chasm of Death_"? wondered Barret.

"Well we tried big smelly crack, but uh… it just made everybody giggle." replied Buck. The twins clearly remembered the last time he said that before, like he had just said yesterday.

"It's getting late… we'd better set camp." said Buck, noticing Peaches yawning in exhaustion.

"Aww… you had a big day didn't you…" said Ellie to Peaches. Come here… let's get some rest."

"I'm eight years old now mommy, I can take of myself, really." said Peaches.

Everyone was stunned, especially Ellie. This was the first time Peaches talked back at her. Sid gasped. Crash and Eddie opened their mouths really wide. Barret was surprised, and so was Buck, but after a split second he continued carving wood in his hand.

"Oh really?" said Ellie. "Then, if I were to say, you got lost in a world full of dangerous dinosaurs ready to eat you, and you were all alone in that place, could you take care of yourself like Uncle Buck?"

Peaches wanted to say yes, but the 'dangerous dinosaurs' and 'alone' parts made her shivered. She had to be honest and said she couldn't.

"I thought so." proved Ellie. "You're not fooling anyone."

They watched Ellie scold her daughter for trying to act all grown up. A futile attempt.

And all Buck could say was "Pfff… mothers…"

When Buck said this, Barret glanced at him, remembering how their mother treated him.

* * *

"Any idea how you lost your memories in the first place?" asked Diego.

"Still have no idea whatsoever." said Ryan. "But… I think it has something to do with this scar on my face… I can't get it out of my head. It's like it keeps saying 'scar… scar…' or something."

"Okay…" said Diana. "How about this. Try focusing on trying to remember."

Ryan sighed. "I do that all the time. When you forget most of your memories, its kind-of the only thing you do."

"Well then..." said Diana. "Sorry for trying to be helpful."

Ryan apologized saying he didn't mean to be rude. And after Diego telling her to at least try to forgive him, she did anyways.

And before they knew it, here they were. River Cliff. Ryan asked if Diego and Diana could stay behind for awhile while he talked with Nia. The two promised that they would be delighted to give him some privacy. Ryan thanked them, and he went off ahead.

But promises are meant to be broken. Diego and Diana couldn't help but sneak up and watch them. They did so, hidden in the bushes, and watched Ryan and Nia talking to each other.

"Miss me?" said Ryan.

Nia chuckled. "I guess"

They both sat side by side near the edge. They leaned on each other and talked.

"We should probably stop seeing each other like this." Nia said.

"Why is that?" asked Ryan.

Nia sighed. "I-It's just my father… he wants me to get married..."

"Any way I can help with what your father wants?" said Ryan optimistically.

"It's not like that Ryan…" replied Nia. "My father wants to make the pack bigger, by getting me married with another wolf from a separate pack. Things have been going rough for me. Every time we try the Ceremony, the ground shakes and a lot of bad things happen, and I end up not marrying that person. My father tells me that he's not the right person, and I know it's you, but he won't stop with the engagements until I finally get married. Ryan, what should I-"

"Nia…" interrupted Ryan. Nia looked at him and calmed down a bit. "We're in this together. You're not the only one who shares this love of ours."

Nia fell on Ryan. They were now sitting on the ground. "So, how are things? Did you remember more?" asked Nia.

"Well, I remember you." flirted Ryan. Nia blushed and licked Ryan on the cheek. "Hehe, I also remember this-"

He stood up and got on four legs. Nia looked at him wonderingly. Ryan took a deep breath, and howled at the moon. It was a vibrant yet lonely sound. Nia then came up as well, and they howled together.

"I remember doing that with you before." said Ryan.

Nia smiled at him, and he smiled back at her. "Come on" she said "I'm gonna take you somewhere."

"Uh... where?" asked Ryan.

"Don't tell me you forgot _that_ place." said Nia. Ryan shrugged. He didn't have a clue. Nia sighed. "Well, just come along. This time, _I'm_ showing it to you." She then started running and Ryan followed after her.

Ryan had no idea what he was in for. Diego and her sister tried to follow when a shiny circular object hit Diego.

"Ow!" said Diego "What in the world?!

"Hmmm…" said Diana "I wonder what this is?" She tried examining it when an odd peculiar voice suddenly came from the sky.

"!!!!" a larger object hit Diego's head.

"Argh! Where the hell are these things coming from?!" exclaimed Diego.

"Excuse me." said the white thing that just hit him. "That's just pure discrimination of existence, sir." That white thing was an osprey. It had a white chest with brown feathers on its wings.

"Oh, we're very sorry for that." said Diana, a bit amused in seeing Diego get injured by unidentified flying objects.

"What? Isn't he supposed to be the one who should apologize?!" said Diego.

"You know, _sir,_ you should listen more to the lady beside you, you might just learn some _respect_ from her." said the osprey.

"Aren't you a little _low_ in the food chain to be talking back at a predator like me?" said Diego fiercely.

"You don't think I can take you?" said the osprey, moving his position into a martial art form, Crane style. Diego had just about had it when Diana came and saved the day.

"Again, sorry about my brother." said Diana. "He's a little… err… moody"

"No I'm not!" argued Diego.

"Whatever… that doesn't matter. What really matters was what you were doing with this." Diana lifted her paw to reveal a small necklace, made out a circular object tied to a loop of stem.

"Oh! Thank you thank you." The osprey said biting the flat circular object and flinging the necklace up in the air, and caught it with his head, wearing it. "You see, it got loose and I dropped it."

"Well, you're very welcome. We're just glad we could help. Aren't we _Diego_." said Diana. Diego grunted and kept looking at the osprey. He noticed it and provoked Diego with a funny face with his tongue sticking out.

"That's it! I'm gonna kill you, you little-" Diego was just about to launch an attack when Diana again stopped him.

"Diego," said Diana. "Be kind to the weird bird."

"Thank you madame, although I could have taken care of it _myself_. ." Said the osprey. Diego just snarled at him, trying not to shred him into pieces. "My name is Flik. Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too. I'm Diana, and grumpy here is Diego."

"Grumpy?!" blurted Diego. He was getting an assault of insults today.

"It's nice to make your acquaintance, but I need to leave. You see, I need to live, and I am famished right now, so I must head off into the river where wondrous delicious fish awaits me!"

"You need to live?" asked Diana.

"Why, yes dear, we all do! Well, all those who wants to live. Everyone that wants to live is needed to live simply because they want to live."

To Diego, he didn't really understand a thing. Diana though, caught it and thought about it.

"Well then. I must be off!" Flik said, flapping his wings and flew.

Diego and Diana looked at him as he flew away in an M-shape.

"Well, good riddance." Diego said feeling a bit more relieved now that he's gone.

* * *

_Flashback… _

"_Buck, don't play with your food."_

_Buck stopped rolling his berries on the ground, picked them up, and ate them. "Aren't there any meat?" he asked. He was a picky eater. He preferred meat than berries any day._

"_Buckminster." His mother said. "We eat meat when we get meat. But right now I'm too busy feedin all of you, so quiet down and eat your berries."_

_Buck frowned. He thought of going out to look for meat himself. He went outside to sit on a branch. Little Barret followed him out of their tree trunk home. For weasel their size, the branch was big enough to occupy 20 of them without any one falling off._

_Buck was sighing. They had been eating berries for over 10 months now, and it was getting old. Their dead-beat father had left them after birth, leaving their mother to take care of all of them. And without any extra time on her hands, she didn't waste time hunting and went picking up berries for all of them._

"_Ugh… will this ever end…" Buck whispered to himself._

"_Big brother!" said Barret. "What are you doing?"_

"_Nothing lad…" replied Buck. "Just… thinking…" _

"_Thinking about what?" asked Barret._

"_Well, can you keep a secret?" asked Buck. Barret nodded._

"_Okay… I thought about leaving this place… you know?"said Buck. "Things aren't as exciting as it used to be 'ere. I want to go somewhere… fun! Where I could practically live a life of adventure every single day."_

"_But what about mom?" said Barret. "She'd get lonely. And sad…"_

"_Bah, we're all gotta leave the nest sooner or later. She'd probably be happier without having me to worry around. Besides, she likes to scold me a lot."_

"_But… but…" Barret tried to find a reason to try to keep his big brother from leaving. He was desperately thinking of one but tears started forming in his eyes 'cause he couldn't._

_Buck noticed it, and since he didn't want his little idol to cry the most, he tried to cheer him up. "Look, I was joking! There's no way I'm leaving this place!" _

_Barret cleared up and smiled. He went back inside while Buck was still sitting outside. He lied to his little brother. That very night when everyone was asleep, he had started fending off for himself. He left…_

"Can't sleep?" asked Buck from behind him. Barret was shocked a bit to see his brother still awake as always.

"Yeah…" he replied.

"What are you thinking of?" Buck asked as he laid on a tree branch.

"Uh… nothing important…"

Buck knew he was lying, a nice technique he learned a long time ago. But he just left it off like that anyways.

* * *

"We're almost there." said Nia. She took Ryan into a mysterious tunnel. The moonlight was reflected to every inch of the tunnel, revealing every part of it. Ryan felt like he should be stunned, but felt it was somehow nostalgic. Guess he was here before.

"Come on!" Just a bit longer" said Nia as she ran inside. Ryan followed without slowing down. A light was now visible at the other end of the tunnel. And before they knew it, they arrived into a beautiful flower field. Ryan, although felt nostalgia, was stunned. He could hardly take his eyes off the place.

"You found this place before I did." said Nia. "I'm just showing it to you again."

"Wow… I… found this place?" said Ryan, still shocked by the sight of blooming flowers.

"Yup… I brought you here hoping… you might remember…" said Nia. "… everything."

Ryan walked into the field. He felt a bit happier. He was remembering, then and there. He closed his eyes, breathed in, and opened his eyes again. "I remember now. I did take you here. Th-these flowers are called Moonflowers. They only bloom at night… And no matter how many times you look at it… you're always awed by the sight of it.

Ryan again tried to close his eyes and collect himself. The petals of the flowers were dancing around with the wind. Everything was suddenly coming to him. From happy memories when he first met her, to sad memories, to when her father pushed him of River Cliff.

* * *

Manny was alone. He was resting on the ground like any mammoth would. He never expected that he would sleep alone again. It had been a really long time since he hadn't slept with a nice fire beside him, or with a grouchy tiger, two annoying little possums, and his beloved daughter and wife.

He could hardly sleep. He was thinking too hard. And he even found it harder to see a strange skeleton lodged in a whole. Poor thing. Must've gotten trapped there, and couldn't get out.

* * *

"Diana?" asked Diego. "Are you okay?"

"What? Oh, yeah, I-*sigh*-I'm fine." replied Diana.

"Is it the baby?" Diego continued to ask, knowing that Diana wasn't fine.

"No… it's something else." said Diana.

"Well, come on, what is it? I'm not a piece of furniture that you can just put aside and watch it their without ever touching it. I'm your brother… you can tell me."

Diana sighed. "It's about… him."

"Who?" Diego wondered. He thought for a bit and realized it. "The father?"

Diana nodded. "We just met over a few months ago. He was eating lunch when he saw me. I was starving then, and I just couldn't snag a bite for myself. He dragged that deer he caught to me and shared some of it. Since then we've been friends. And after time passed, we were dating. I remember this fat friend of his… he was also a saber… kinda hilarious to be with…"

Diego thought about what she said. "More sabers? And a fat sabre… it couldn't have been…"

"After more time passed," Diana continued. "I got pregnant. He started hunting deer for me, said that I shouldn't strain myself to keep the baby safe. But… then… one day… he never came back. I thought he left me…" Tears were suddenly flowing out of her eyes. She was crying hard. Diego came and tried to comfort.

"It's okay Diana… you're gonna be all right… I'm here for you. And I'm not gonna leave you."

* * *

_Flashback 2…_

"_Mom… please… I can take care of myself now!" said Barret, all grown up now._

"_Enough of this Barret. I know you miss… Buck… but that's no reason for you to go out there and live your own life! Think about what you're about to throw away! Your family, your friends." His mother said._

"_Mom, you can't keep me here forever. You know that someday I have to leave this place too."_

"_Barret… what if you'll end up just like you're brother?" said his mother._

"_We didn't what happened to him. If ever I find him I promise I'm gonna spend a lot of time with him." He said heading for the door._

_She knew she couldn't stop him. He was so determined in finding Buck. And with that, she let him leave._

"You're still not asleep?" asked Buck.

" I could ask the same thing from you." replied Barret grinning.

Buck looked at him. "Just wha' kind of things are ya' thinkin' of… it's unhealthy… get some sleep already."

"Why won't you?"

"Who's gonna wake everyone up if a dinosaur comes and attacks? You're not relying in ol' Sid here to scream like a girl now did you?"

Barret chuckled and finally tried to get some sleep.

* * *

**Xion the Author: Hehehehehe... I took the background music from Mr. And Mrs. Smith. It was also made by JOHN POWELL who made the sounds for ICE AGE as well. I forgot which movie it was that he did. Was it the second and third movie? I forgot. Anyways, hope you all enjoyed! My way of writing involves listening to music, without it, there's usually no emphasis or detail on some parts. And if I'm listening to rock while writing about love, it twists the mood so I change what I'm listening to. ^.^**

**Xion the Author: Indeed... I couldn't really add anything else. So here it is! And oh boy... I really want Scrat and Scratte to make up and love again. This is the best way I could do it! What will Scrat take? Scratte or his beloved acorn??? Longest chapter in this story so far! Wahoo! Finally got some things out, like that complication Diana had. The extra OC Flik will probably be just in this chapter only, or maybe in another one as well… who knows? Does God? One thing is for sure, I do!**

**Ellie: . . .**

**Crash: *cough* wacko! *cough***

**Xion the Author: *_* Lots of flashbacks here… hope it all stops in the next chapter. I wanna get to the present and the future. ^ . ^ This long chapter should compensate the really short Squirrel Chapter. XD I wanted to mention dead Zeke in the early chapters but failed to do so. Since I don't want to edit a really old chapter, I just mentioned him with Manny alone. HAahahahaha! No spotlight!**


	10. The Decision We Make

**Xion the Author: Hmmm… am I focusing the story on Ryan a lot lately? Nah! Am I…?**

**Ryan: Uhhh… a bit… I guess…**

**Xion the Author: Oh well! Time to go on with story! Time to end thy cliffhanging. I suddenly wanted to get this story updated till the quick, ever since I got another idea for another story. **

**Manny: We could all say it's not entirely about me.**

**Xion the Author: Think again… so anyways, my freakishly large chapter making doesn't end, and I estimate that there'll probably three or four more chapters to go. Chapter summary, let's see, lots of things happen like Diana revealing who's the father. There, now go read the entire thing. XD.

* * *

**

_**Chapter XV: The Decisions We Make**_

The human found footprints. Paw prints leading into the forest, and mammoth prints leading out of the human territory. They were more interested in the fat juicy mammoth, but going out of Glacier Pass was too risky.

A human boy concluded the tracks. He headed off into the forest, following the wolf and saber prints.  


* * *

"Ryan?" said Nia. "Ryan, are you okay?"

His mind was blank. "Was that real?" he thought. "Did her father push me himself? Is it the reason why I forgot everything?"

He tried to calm down, and collect his memory. And thus, a flashback occurs.

"_Nia?" Ryan said. "Are you okay?" He found her to be troubled. She was in deep thought for a long time now._

"_What? Oh, its nothing." She replied, utterly wasn't listening to him. "She really was thinking hard", Ryan thought_

_Nia sighed. "What's wrong?" said Ryan._

"_Ryan… It's just…" Nia couldn't speak her mind well, so she paused a bit, and then continued. "Part of me wants to stay here, with my father, and part of me wants to be with you. I'm so confused… Ryan…" she was about to cry when Ryan hugged her._

"_It's gonna be okay…" Ryan said. "I promise"_

"'Ere it is…" Buck said. "The _Chasm of Death_."

"Wow…" uttered Barret. "It's so… _chasmic_."

"So how do cross the place?" asked Sid.

"Easy", replied Buck. "Ya see this contraption 'ere?" he said pointing to a wheel like structure.

"This thing rolls these ropes-" he said as he turned the wheel around. "Pulling _this _here" he said pointing at an odd bone structure particularly from a dinosaur, something similar to what they used before, only smaller. "You mammals will ride here while someone pulls the wheel."

Everyone thought it was simple enough, but Barret interrupted. "But what will happen to the person turning the wheel? Does he get left behind?" When Barret said that, everyone looked at each other. They didn't want anyone to get left behind.

"No, of course not." replied Buck plainly. Everyone stared at him. "How then?", they thought. "There's another wheel at the other side, so the first person can pull the last one in."

Everyone felt relieved. No one was getting left behind at all. "All right then." said Barret. "I'll go first."

* * *

"So that's why you wanted to leave so badly…" said Diego.

"Yes…I wanted to leave this place. I wanted to get a fresh start, with the kids." said Diana.

Diego still kept wondering that question. Although it might hurt Diana, making her remember, he needed to know the answer.

"Who's the father?" asked Diego.

Diana felt like not answering. They paused in talking for a bit. Diego felt like he should never had asked that question, but as soon as he tried to say something, Diana finally answered.

"His name… is Oscar."

* * *

_.Ryan waited for Nia at River Cliff. He sat there alone for a while. It was the day he decided to take Nia and that they'd run away together._

_A strange noise came in from the bushes. Ryan stood up. He looked into the shadows in the forest_

"_Nia?" Ryan called out. "Nia, there's something I want to-"_

_He stopped talking when the shadow came into the moonlight and revealed itself._

"_Wait." Ryan said. "W-Who are you?"_

_The wolf he was talking to had angry eyes, but had a calm yet scary posture. "My name is Garic. And who might you be?"_

"_My name is Ryan." he said._

"_Aahh… I was beginning to wonder why my daughter insists on coming here all the time, so I came up here myself."_

_Ryan felt this person was dangerous. He felt it was best for him to leave now._

"_I think I should-"_

"_You're not going anywhere." interrupted Garic. He started walking towards Ryan, with his teeth taunting him. Ryan quickly took a step the right and went higher up the mountain. Garic followed him. Ryan was swiftly moving in the rocky path, but Garic was too quick. He blocked Ryan path right in front of him. Ryan took a leap sidewards, but again Garic tried to block his way. _

_Ryan finally tried to fight his way out, but his opponent was too strong, Garic overpowered him and Ryan fell down to mountains, and caught right unto the edge of River Cliff. He was panting hard._

"_You just had to know my daughter, did you?" said Garic as he walked to edge. Ryan was doing his best to hold on to the cliff. His two front paws were hanging him in the balance. "Maybe it's __**best**__-" said Garic as he stepped on Ryan's left paw. "If you never knew her" he continued, squeezing it until Ryan let go. He squealed in pain. His right paw was the last thing holding him. _

"_Goodbye, Ryan" Ryan's last hanging paw scratched down to the edge, and he finally fell downwards.

* * *

_

Barret climbed on the vessel. "Try not to breathe the air this time. It's not the laughing kind." Barret found it to be quite obvious it being green and all. He just didn't know the last time Crash and Eddie were in the Chasm of Death.

Barret held on as Buck rolled the wheel. Barret held his breath as he was propelled slowly into the heart of the Chasm. There, he seemed to have disappeared from sight.

"Barret!" shouted Eddie. "Are you okay?!"

At first there was a long pause, then followed by a huge thud. "I'm okay!" shouted Barret back, finally reaching the other side.

"Good!" shouted Buck. "Peaches, boys, you lads are up next. Big mammoth, you're up afterwards. Now pile on!" He instructed.

"Buck!" shouted Barret. "What do I do here?!"

"When I say go, we roll the wheels together!" Tha' way we get things movin' faster!" Buck shouted at the top of his voice. Everyone was closing their ears, even Barret as it echoed all over the chasm.

"All right!" Buck said. Peaches, Sid, Crash, and Eddie were now on board. "GO!"

Buck and Barret rolled it as hard as they could, but it was hard, as the load was a bit heavy. Peaches, Sid, Crash and Eddie were holding their breath as hard as they could. The twins were just about to lose their breath when a large thud occurred, and they landed and breathed in fresh air as soon as possible.

"Air! Air!" the twins were exclaiming. Sid too was gasping for air after getting launched into the ground. Peaches was all right and didn't really struggle. Her large lungs had enough air to keep her comfortable without breathing.

"Alright big mammoth, your turn." Buck said. Ellie rolled her eyes, and got on the vessel. Some ropes got loose, and then there were creaking sounds.

"Don't panic!" said Buck. "Just a few technical difficulties, but i' should be all right."

As soon as he said that, the noises stopped. "Get ready!" Buck shouted. Barret held on to the wheel, and Ellie held her breath. "GO!"

They were again turning the wheel as hard as they could. Creaking sounds started to happen again. The vessel was moving slowly, and Ellie was trying hard not to breathe in the poisonous gas.

Halfway there, and Ellie showed signs of struggling. She started panicking, and her breathe was getting short by the second. Barret was pulling the wheel as hard as he could. The twins started pulling the wheel as well. A large yet satisfying thud finally occurred, and Ellie got out as quick as she could.

"All right!" shouted Barret as he turned the wheel the other way, returning the vessel back. "Your turn bro!"

"'Kay!" said Buck. He hopped on the vessel as soon as it reached him. "Start pulling now!"

Barret once more pulled the wheel with all his might. But this time, there was something wrong. The creaking sounds started again, and were immediately replaced with rope-snapping sounds. Not good. It couldn't take a mammoth ride. Buck was still in the chasm riding on the vessel holding his breath. He couldn't instruct them what to do. Barret just kept on pulling, hoping the mechanism won't break.

But to his demise, a large cracking sound occurred. Ropes were suddenly snapping, and they all heard a loud crashing sound.

"Buck!" they all shouted.

"Buck! Buck!!" kept shouting Barret. Was Buck all right? Is he ever gonna see him again?

"Bu-" as soon as he tried to shout his name again, Buck appeared, swinging on a rope, letting go of it, and landed on the ground without difficulty whatsoever.

"Stop shoutin' already!" said Buck. "Yer gonna wake up the dead."

"Buck!" said his adoring little fans. Crash and Eddie were at his feet, hugging him. Everyone was relieved, especially Barret.

"Well… that was close." Sid said.

"We thought you were a goner." said Ellie. Although she knew that he was that crazy unkillable weasel they all know, he wasn't technically immortal.

"Well, you know me." said Buck. "Now, come on. Let's stop wasting time and head off. The real danger is yet to come…" When Buck said this, everyone shivered. What exactly were they in for next? Just what was there in_ Silhouette Tunnel_?

* * *

Ryan couldn't believe it. Her... father?

"Ryan?"

He finally glanced up. He was looking at the girl whose father had nearly ended his life. He couldn't face her. He could barely look at her now.

"Did you know…?"

"What do you mean?" asked Nia.

"Your father, tried to kill me!" said Ryan in anger.

"What?" said Nia. She didn't really know anything. "What are you talking about?"

"The last time we were supposed to meet… your father showed up… and pushed me off the cliff." said Ryan.

Nia was in disbelief. She tried to approach him."Ryan-"

"Stay away from me!" exclaimed Ryan. He ran past her as fast he could. Nia wanted to follow, but what could she possibly do? What she couldn't believe at all was what her father tried to do…

Diana and Diego were following the wolf's tracks. They came upon Ryan running towards them. "Hey, Ry-" Diego tried to greet him, but he simply brushed them off and kept running. "Ryan! Hey! Where are you going?!"

"Something's wrong…" Diana caught Nia at the corner of her eye. "Nia, right? " asked Diana.

"Yes…" Nia couldn't answer very well.

"Diana." said Diego. "You stay with her, I'll go after him."

"Tell me what happened" said Diana. As Diego ran after Ryan, Nia explained everything to Diana, wondering what happened.

* * *

"One _really_ is the loneliest number…" said Manny to himself as he stood and looked at his reflection in the water. He wondered how Sid and Diego felt after all this time. Sure, they had each other, but had they ever thought about looking for a mate? Manny thought for a while. "Diego might have a chance if he found another saber, but Sid probably doesn't have any chance at all."

He stood there talking to himself. Gladly, no one was there watching him. "When was the last time _you_ ever did anything with your friends?" he said pointing at his reflection. He looked towards the village where Ellie and the others could be waiting, but then looked back at Glacier Pass.

"Peaches… can wait…" Manny said to himself, and ran off back towards Glacier Pass. It was a tough decision, but Manny felt like he had to do it.

* * *

Ryan came upon a large tree. It had a large hole on the ground below it, there Ryan snuck in and found himself in complete nostalgia. This was where his step-father took care of him. He saw himself before with his step-father.

"_Careful now. Don't hurt yourself" chuckled his step-father as he played with him._

There Ryan sulked. He sat on the cold ground, and covered his eyes with his paws, deliberately confused at what to do. He was thinking hard about what to do

"Hey." a familiar voice came in. It was Diego.

"How did you get here." asked Ryan.

"Your tracks are everywhere, you know." he replied. Ryan grinned. Even if he remembered everything, he was still oblivious. His step-father told him to keep his tracks clear to prevent anyone harming him, especially the humans.

"Diego…" said Ryan. "I don't know what to do…"

"Just exactly what happened?"

Ryan explained everything to Diego. Bit by bit, Diego started to understand. "So that's why you left in such a hurry."

"Diego…" said Ryan. "What should I do? Any advice?"

Diego thought for a bit, and then came up with the right advice. "Do you still love her?"

"What?"

"I said, do you still _love_ her."

Ryan thought for a while. Did he? After all the crazy things that had happened, he realized that he still did. He got up from feeling down, and stood on his four feet. His determination was flowing back to him.

"Now go get her."

"Thanks." replied Ryan.

"Don't mention it. Oh, and she's probably with Diana right now."

Ryan sprang up to his paws and went straight outside. Diego followed out as well, but as he got outside, Ryan was no longer in sight. Diego tried tracking him, but somehow couldn't.

"That wolf…" Ryan had covered his tracks.

* * *

"I'm going to confront my father." said Nia.

"Are you completely sure about that?" asked Diana.

This was no time to be weak. Nia nodded. She had to do it. She ran off to her village, while Diana went back to find Diego.

* * *

"Ryan!" shouted Diana. She saw Ryan running up towards her.

"Where's Nia?" asked Ryan.

"Nia went to her village. She said she's going to confront her father." answered Diana

"Oh no" Ryan said as he quickly sprinted to another direction. Diana looked at him as he ran away. Somehow, she saw that he's changed.

After a while, Diego came following after. Diego was running towards her as well.

"Die- *gasp* watch out!" A net coiled Diego instantly.

"Argh!" shouted Diego.

"Diego! Wait there, I'll help you." But suddenly a band of humans appeared near Diego, holding spears against him.

"Diana, don't!" shouted Diego. "Go get help! Look for Manny!"

Diana quickly ran away. Although she was in no position of running, her brother's life was depending on it.

* * *

"'ere it is lads…." said Buck. "_Silhouette Tunnel"_

"Just what is it in here that's so scary?" asked Crash nonchalantly.

"Many come in 'ere, but don't come out. It's 'cause ya usually see your greatest fears here. There's some sort of gas there that when you breathe it, you hallucinate."

"And?" asked Eddie, as if there's a catch.

"When you hallucinate, you go around in circles, never coming out. I once almost lost my life 'ere."

This scared most of them here. If Buck almost died here, there's no telling what could happen to them.

* * *

**Xion the Author: Grrr! Manny is getting the spotlight again! Unfortunately, I don't want him to get back to the village to see no one there, and I want him to be at the ending too, so I guess he'll still be a star .**

**Manny: I am overjoyed (sarcastically)**

**Xion the Author: * . * So anyways, we're probably nearing the end. But as long as we're not there yet, I don't care. XD. Hmmm… debit13 appears to have disappeared… I wonder why… probably too busy writing his own story! ^ . ^**

**Sid: Good thing you'll keep updating even though he's doesn't review!**

**Xion the Author: Of course! I am, after all, nearing the end of my story.**

**Diego: OK... back to me being caught... why? I thought you were going to focus on me now.**

**Xion the Author:I'm focusing **_**more **_**on you. . Besides, I had to, the finale needs you to be in human custody!**


	11. Self Weaknesses

**Xion the Author: Thus this new chapter ends my one week absence!!! Time again to apply my excellent improvisations when I forget to add an event.**

**Buck: You should really stop forgetting 'em.**

**Xion the Author: Urk… yes yes… yes I will… And within this chapter is guaranteed to satisfy your one-week patience…**

**Peaches: Yehey!**

**Xion the Author: This'll be the part where I get all **_**awww how cute!**_** but unfortunately I don't have that weak spots for kids. And here we are back to the story!

* * *

**

_**Chapter XI. Self-Weaknesses**_

"_O-Oscar?" uttered Diego. It couldn't possibly be…_

"_Yeah, but it doesn't really matter now…" said Diana. _

"_This 'fat' friend of his, is his name… Lenny?"asked Diego._

"_Yes… why?" said Diana curiously. Diego explained to her 'his' life about how he grew up by himself up to how he Soto and the others. Diana couldn't believe what she was hearing. "This was how you grew up, and you know Oscar?"_

"… _yeah"_

It had only been hours ago since they had this conversation. Right now Diego is caught in a net, being dragged across the dirt by humans that captured him. Hopefully, Diana got away.

It wasn't long before he got dragged into a human camp. Bones were in almost every corner. Animal bones, from horns and teeth and etc. Tents were built around in a circle, and a fire was built right in the middle. _Sid_. Diego remembered how Sid made a fire during cold nights and kept them all warm and cozy. He wondered how him and the others were doing. Manny was probably there with them by now.

Diana. Would she find Manny? And if she would, was it going to be too late for him? He wished she wouldn't find him. From the way things looked, with almost every human holding a spear, even a mammoth or two can't take them all.

Diego got dragged into a wooden cage and was released from the net. He tried to quickly escape through it but was already too late. They closed it and watched him try to claw at them. The wood was tough, he couldn't break it. Just as he was thinking of a way to escape, something in the shadows caught his attention.

"Well well well…. Look what the cat brought in today." An familiar voice came out. "You know, I was expecting something larger. Like maybe, a mammoth." he said, revealing himself.

"Oscar." In the flesh.  


* * *

"Keep moving in a straight line. Don't mind anything you might see in there. Just keep moving forward, without stopping. Buck instructed at the entrance to Silhouette Tunnel. "Boys!" he said pointing at the twins. "You go first!"

"Us?!" Crash and Eddie gasped. "Y-you sure?"

"Yes both of ya." Buck said pushing them along nearer. "Remember now, just keep movin' forward. Follow my instructions and you should be safe."

"A-Alright." Crash uttered.

"Okay, here we go bro…" Eddie said. and they both went in disappeared in the thick fog. They couldn't see a thing in there. They looked back to see small shadow coming towards them. "Food glorious food!" it sang. They both ran in fright towards the exit. "Aaaaaahhh!!!""

After a few minutes, they've come out from the other side safely. "Okay! We're through!" said the possum twins. They were gasping for their breath. They made it safe and sound. It was scary. They saw a large vulture about to grab them inside. If it weren't for Buck, they'd probably had played dead inside instead.

"Okay mammoths, your turn." said Buck.

Ellie and Peaches approached the entrance, looking at the mysterious fog. "Don't be scared, honey." said Ellie.

"I'm fine mom!" Peaches replied to her mother, although she was cowering under her trunk. They both went in and disappeared from the fog. They also couldn't see a thing in there. Peaches stayed close to her mother. She started seeing eyes looking at them. She started to shake, but then she remembered what Buck told them, and tried to calm down and ignore them. After a while they finally both get out safely.

"We're alright!" Ellie shouted. "We're here on the other side now!"

"Good, come on sloth." said Buck. "Your turn."

Sid froze for a while on the spot, and tried to hold his breath and cross the tunnel. He could only hold it for a few seconds before gasping for air right inside. Sid looked back to see a large dinosaur about to eat him. Sid screamed girlishly and ran towards the exit in a matter of few short minutes.

"Uncle Sid is through!" shouted Peaches.

"Alright then bro." said Barret. "Guess it's our turn."

"Right." Buck replied and they both stepped in the tunnel with Barret in front of him. The moment they entered Buck couldn't tell if Barret was still there. Barret tried looking back but couldn't really see Buck as well. It wasn't long before they started hallucinating.

Buck could see numerous shadows, but tried to ignore it. They all looked familiar to him, but he knew it was all an illusion. He wasn't going to fall for it again. Barret was doing fine as well. He could see dinosaurs glaring at him, but he also knew it was just an illusion. After a while, they finally reached out.

"You still couldn't grow up can't you." A voice said to Buck. He opened his eyes to see a figure ahead of him. It was his father,

"You… Y-you're not real." Buck said trying to remember what he was seeing was nothing but an illusion.

Barret noticed Buck talking, but couldn't really make up what he was saying. "Buck?" he asked as he stood there for a while.

"Oh, I'm real alright." said Buck's father as he approached him. "Real enough to say you're a disappointment. You're nothing but a failure in my eyes. You couldn't live with being with your mother so you abandoned her-"

"You're the one who abandoned her in the first place!" Buck shouted grabbing him by the neck. He started choking him as hard as he could. He looked at his father with such disgust. "Why did you leave us?! Why?!!"

"B-Buck... Buck!" said Barret. Buck was hallucinating, and he thinks Barret is his father! "Buck! I-Its… me!" Barret was trying to pull away Buck's hands from choking him. "Buck!!!"

Buck snapped over it, and saw Barret. But he wasn't moving. "Oh no." Buck took Barret out of the tunnel. The others heard a ruckus inside it, and was surprised to see Barret unconscious. They were all asking what happened. Buck tried to explain while he tried reviving his dear brother.

* * *

Ryan reached the wolf village. All the other wolves were looking at him. Ryan didn't bother looking, and went straight forward towards Nia's father. Garic was talking with someone else until he noticed Ryan coming up.

"Aaahh… I see you're still alive." said Garic coming down from a huge rock. "I thought I had killed you, at least now I can make complete sure of that."

"Leave. Nia. Alone." demanded Ryan. A virile, bestial vitality enthralled him.

"I'm sorry, but I can't do that." replied Garic simply. "I am after all, her father." Ryan growled at him, but he showed no fear whatsoever. "Guards, kill him."

"Relying on your henchmen?" said Ryan condescendingly. "Let's just settle this between you and me."

Garic looked at him. He grinned and went down to himself. "Alright then. But I won't be going easy on you. Remember that."

The two of them were surrounded by a crowd of wolves. There was no turning back now. One on one. The heat was on.

Nia was still on her way, not knowing what was happening.

* * *

"Hello Diego." said Oscar. He was still that old saber he used to know. "It's good to see you." he said somewhat sarcastically.

Diego couldn't believe that Oscar was here. "H-how did you get here?" asked Diego.

"I could ask you the same thing." Oscar replied. He looked weak, like he hadn't eaten in a long time. Diego felt pity for him.

"Oscar… did you-"

"Yes, I married you sister." Oscar interrupted.

Diego raised an eyebrow. "How did you know?"

Oscar walked around a bit. "Your sister told stories about a brother he had named Diego. I couldn't believe it myself actually."

They both looked at each other. "How is she?"

"S-she's alright." said Diego.

"Then I guess you've finally met again. That's great." Oscar said. Diego could hardly face him. "What about your new 'herd'? Where are they? You abandoned them too, like you did to us?"

"I almost once, but no. We got separated, and somehow I ended up here." said Diego. "And besides, they were more like a family to me than all of you, even if they aren't sabers."

Suddenly, music started to play. The humans were all shouting. Some were beating drums and were blowing horns.

"What are they doing?" asked Diego.

"It's a sort of… _ceremony_ they have." replied Oscar. "It's like a ritual they make. They kill animals they capture, and then drink their blood and eat them."

"How do you know that?" Diego asked abruptly.

"Where do you think Lenny is?" said Oscar pointing at a skull in the ground. Diego remembered seeing Lenny and Oscar running away together the last time they saw him. "Poor Lenny" Diego thought.

"It's about time." Oscar said. The humans were approaching their cage. "Looks like this'll be the last time we'll ever see each other."

Diego knew exactly what Oscar was trying to say. The ritual involved killing Oscar. "Oscar." The doomed saber looked at him. "I'll take care of Diana. I promise."

"Can I really trust you with that Diego?" joked Oscar. He used to doubt him all the time before. It wasn't long before Oscar was taken by the humans. He tried fighting back, but got pierced by a spear behind him. Diego silently watched his old friend get killed in front of him.

Diego wondered if he could even keep that promise now.

* * *

Ryan stroke with his claw. Garic dodged, but Ryan made another attack, and got hit. Garic tackled him, and they rolled on the ground hard. They got back up on their paws and started clawing each other once more.

All the other wolves were cheering at them. Nia heard the commotion from afar and finally reached the village. She was going through the crowd to see what was going on. To her horror, she finds her father and Ryan fighting each other.

Garic tackled Ryan unto the ground. Ryan was lying back down on the ground with Garic trying to bite his neck. Ryan was trying to push away Garic. He kicked him off with his hind legs, and finally got up.

Both were badly beaten and bruised. They were again going for another confrontation when Nia finally interrupted.

"Stop!!!"

* * *

Manny was running back to Glacier Pass. He had finally reached it to see Diana running towards him.

"Manny! Help!" shouted Diana. Manny caught up with her as she gasped for breath.

"Its Diego! He's… he's…" Diana uttered.

"Calm down. What happened?" asked Manny. "Where's Diego?"

"Diego. He's been captured by humans." said Diana. "They took him off to their village. He told me to escape and get you."

"Diana, which way is it to the village?" asked Manny. He was worried about his friend in peril.

"North."

"Let's go then." said Manny.

"Wait!" said Diana. "We can't go there! It's too dangerous."

"My friend is there, and he needs my help." insisted Manny.

"You can't do it alone." argued Diana. "We'll have to get Ryan first."

Manny thought for a while if he should bring him along. But his friend's life depended on it. Finally, he agreed.

* * *

"Ugghhh….." Barret moaned. He woke up to find himself near a nice and cozy fire. He looked up to see a dark black sky. "Night already?"

The twins noticed him moving and immediately they walk towards him."Barret!" shouted Crash and Eddie. "You're awake!"

"Thank god!" said Ellie, also noticing. "I thought you were a goner."

"Are you okay?" asked Peaches.

"My head hurts a bit, but I'll be fine." Barret replied. "Hey. W-where's Buck?"

"H-he's…." muttered Sid, pointing towards a tall tree. "He couldn't get over that… you know… accident."

Barret got up. The others tried to put him down on the ground to rest more, but he told them he was fine. He approached the tree and climbed up. He went up to see Buck sitting on a branch staring blankly into space.

"You know." Barret said. Buck glanced back surprisingly. "The last time I saw you doing that, was the last time you were up there." He said pointing up.

"Barret… I…" Buck tried to apologize. He was lost for words; after all, he had nearly killed his brother. "I… I…."

"Its okay." said Barret. "You were hallucinating then. You wouldn't really do that to me, would you?"

"Still… I could've killed you. There's no excuse fer tha'." said Buck.

"Just what exactly were you hallucinating?" asked Barret. Buck explained how he had hallucinated him for their father.

"So that's why…" said Barret. "I mean, if it were me, I would've done the same thing."

Buck laughed. "You'd probably just run instead."

Barret shrugged. "Why not? I mean, he was a jerk, after all."

"Yeah… but you didn't hate Pops like I did. That day when he left. You probably don't remember, but I do. And now I'm really thinkin' if what I hallucinated was righ'. What if I never really did grow up? What if I'm still a kid like he said?"

Barret thought for awhile, and gave him his answer. "You know, I don't really think kids could lasso dinosaurs with a vine, or survive almost every perilous journey we come across, or even own a nice house all for himself."

Buck chuckled. "I guess so."

"Great. Now come on, we still gotta get these guys back up there, remember?"

Buck agreed, and they immediately went down to greet the others. And afterwards, they continue walking onwards.

* * *

**Xion the Author: You might have noticed that this chapter is shorter, but then again, its still long. My writers block continues to irritate me as usual. Hopefully you enjoyed reading this chapter.**

**Flik: I'm sure they would!**

**Xion the Author: Nice to hear that! I see that two of the stories I've been reading here have finally ended. And it won't be long before this will as well! Yes, I killed off the rest of the sabers. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA XD**

**Diego: . **

**Diana: . . . .**

**Xion the Author: hmmmm spoiler.... hmmmm...... nope, none for now. Got writers block XD I also changed my title, if you haven't noticed. I tried to make it more appealing. Before it was actually STORIES **_**IN ICE**_**, but not its changed into the present one ^ . ^**


	12. It's All Coming Together

**Xion the Author: Update wahoo!!! I've been thinking about what I'll be writing, and I guess the end might not be totally near yet XD. I estimate lesser than three chapters left. I've learned lots about making the reader understand what's written better! Hopefully, I can apply them to keep thy reader read comfortably.**

**Diego: Get me outta here!!!**

**Xion the Author: You'll get out soon enough, maybe. I'm paying attention to what I write, making sure there won't be anything I'll miss like Sid suddenly disappearing or an event converted to a flashback to fill it in. I'll also make sure my line breaks are properly in place ^ . ^

* * *

**

_**Chapter XII: It's all coming Together**_

"Here we are lads! Still Lake!" shouted Buck as they emerge from the leafy plants and tall trees.

They witness over hundreds of dinosaurs drinking near the lake, and more eating off the leaves in the trees. A peak of amazement reached towards them, followed by a dread of 2fear. Buck expected this, and came out a reply "All of these dinos he'ah are all vegetable-eaters. They're practically harmless! Unless, ya provoke 'em of course."

"Wow…" Peaches stared in awe at different kinds dinosaurs all living together.

Everyone couldn't help looking at a dinosaur or two, either large or small. From flying ones to swimming ones, Still Lake looked like a pretty safe place not mentioning it was under the earth where dangerous dinosaurs like Rudy could actually just come in and invade them.

"How come there aren't any… meat eaters?" asked Sid curiously.

"They leave 'em all alone he'ah." replied Buck. "They breed and live he'ah, but sometimes 'they'll have to leave to keep the place nice and friendly. As you may have noticed, there ain't any meat-eating plants here!"

Buck sounded like a tour guide. Ellie was guiding Peaches along so she wouldn't wander off to some random dinosaur. Sid was also working his best trying to _avoid_ a dinosaur.

"How come you didn't just live here?" asked Barret. "It's perfectly safe and all."

"Perfectly safe and _boring_!" Crash replied for Buck. "There's no adventure here! No danger, no _fun_!"

"Of course Buck wouldn't live here" tagged along Eddie. "Right Buck?"

"Righ'! agreed Buck with a grin on his face, approving of his disciples.

The group all followed Buck as he lead them straight through the field. "There it is everyone! The cave!" shouted Buck, but not a single dinosaur paid any attention to him Barret noticed. They probably gotten used to his antics.

"Oy!" Buck shouted at some tall faces blocking the way. "Get outta the way! Shoo!"

The giant butterflies flew off in the distant. Peaches stared at it until they were completely out of sight. It was all like a wonderful dream to her. A really fun and dangerous dream.

"Ok, this is it." said Buck. "This… is far as I'll go."

"What? You're not coming with?!" said Barret.

"Just like the last time…" sighed Eddie.

"It was great and all, meetin' ya all, but my callings he'ah…" answered Barret. "You know I don't belong up there, and it's best I stay he'ah too. I gotta close all these caves remember?"

"At least come with us to the top" said Ellie. "Just, look at _our_ world for once"

" It's not probably fun and adventurous up there, but it's a great place too, you know" said Sid.

Buck was thinking about it. They all wanted him join them.

"Come on! Maybe just once!" persuaded Crash.

"Well…" said Buck. "I suppose so."

"Then it's settled! Ice Age world here we come!" said Barret. "But its best we keep this cave open, for now, you know. Who knows what kind of weird sick place we might end up to."

"All right then!" said Buck enthusiastically. "Follow me!"

"Do you even know the way?" asked Ellie.

* * *

Nia leaped between Garic and Ryan, facing her father. She looked at her without backing down"

"Father…" said Nia. "Please... stop this..."

"So.. Is this what you want, Nia? A stray dog, like him?!" growled Garic. Ryan growled back at him. Nia glanced back at Ryan, a look that said 'stop'.

"Father, I know you just want the best for me-"

"Then you should understand completely. You don't belong with him." interrupted Garic. "He's no good. A disgusting outsider."

"Father, I love him!" protested Nia. The entire pack gasped. They all watched them utmost amazement. Flik was unknowingly watching the entire thing while perched on a branch. "Please, you have to understand"

"This is why the Great Wolf shall not allow you to be bonded with the others. You have already given your love to this **stray!**" scowled Garic.

"I'm not just a stray." approached Ryan. His approach was more peaceful than violent. "I love Nia, and I'm planning to spend the rest of my life with her. And-" he said with a strong emotion seen in his eyes. "I am willing to put my life down just to protect her."

Garic stared down at him for awhile. "And you feel the same as well, daughter?"

"I do…" answered Nia. The pack of wolves watching were now whispering and talking to each other. The noise was so audible the alpha wolf was finally irritated.

"SILENCE!" Garic shouted. The entire pack fell silent. Garic walked around the two almost twice, and had finally made his decision. "Then, you are no longer my daughter."

"Father, please!" Nia begged.

"Enough." said Garic turning his back around. "You shall leave this place, and never come back. You are now a stranger to me."

Nia looked down, and Ryan took her. "Come on, let's go."

Garic was also looking down and couldn't help but utter a few words. "Best of luck… both of you." It was soft, the rest of the wolves probably couldn't hear it, but Ryan and Nia heard it loud enough.

As they walked away from the village, the entire pack of wolves howled together. Starting from just one, then two, until they were all howling in unison. The alpha as well, howled together. At this, Flik left from where he was perched amused enough.

"W-why did your father-" said Ryan before getting interrupted.

"Its law never to welcome strays into the pack. My father probably knew that, and he still wanted the best for me." said Nia. "So he threw me out, so I could be… with you…" she started crying when Ryan calmed her down.

Ryan couldn't believe his ears. Although her father was a menacing and scary person, he was the best father one could possibly be. "Well, what now, I mean, where should we go? After all, we're stuck with each other."

Nia giggled. They were about to think of places to go when suddenly someone came running into them.

"Ryan! Nia!!!" Diana shouted.

"Diana? M-Manny?" said Ryan. "What's wrong?"

"Friends of yours?" asked Nia.

"K-kinda."

"It's Diego, he's been captured by humans!" shouted Diana as she approached them.

"W-what?" Ryan said. "H-how?"

"Never mind that! We need your help!" said Manny. Ryan was shocked, obvious enough to be seen on his face. "What?"

"Huh? Oh, well… It's just that… you know…" uttered Ryan. "It's kinda weird, asking help from me and all since you… umm… hate me."

"Hate you?!" said Manny.

"Wait, what?" asked Diana.

"Yeah. I thought you hate me. Avoiding me, ignoring me, and shrugging me off all the time.

Manny stared out thinking for a while. Thinking that this was all a waste of time, but realized how much of a jerk he'd been to him. "Look. I don't care if I hate you, or even want to kill you. Right now my friend's in trouble… and I need your help."

Ryan was surprised at how much Manny was willing to push himself just to help Diego.

"Ryan" said Nia. "You have to-"

"I know. I'll help you guys." said Ryan. He was doing this out of debt; he was doing this since Diego was his friend too.

* * *

Diego sits in the cage, watching the humans devour Oscar's cooked flesh. One human in particular was drinking the dead tiger's blood with a bowl, and wearing its cut out pelt on his shoulders.

Diego knew the humans were sick, but this was far beyond disgusting. "What would happen next now?" He thought. But he knew exactly what was going to happen.

He watched silently as the humans danced around their campfire, waving around bones and flesh, banging drums and blowing horns. An incoming band of humans were coming out of the hill. The humans in the camp got up and greeted them. They seemed to be conversing a bit. Diego wondered what they were talking about. He thought humans couldn't talk, but the way they were somehow… communicating… felt alike with them.

Diego finally got the message about what they were talking about, when the human pointed at his cage, and they start coming up towards him. He's running out of time.

* * *

They see a tiny bright light at the end. And not long they come out of it and the light shined across their faces. Finally.

"Here we are! I guess." said Sid at the exit.

They come upon a large forest full of trees covering almost every part of the sky. Mountains were everywhere, high and low on the visible horizon from the clearing near the cave.

"This doesn't really look like the Ice Age, from what I recall." said Buck confusingly.

"Buck's right." said Barret. "This isn't the Ice Age… this is someplace else.

"Well, we traveled really far down there, so we might've gotten somewhere far from home." said Ellie.

"Maybe if I could climb up this tree-"Sid said as he tried to climb one up. "-I could see where we are and tell you."

"This I gotta see", Eddie whispered to Crash. Sid climbed up the tree as hard as he could. He felt like he'd gotten about half the tree up when he soon started falling. He was about to scream when he only slid down about a meter down.

"That's it?" said Barret.

"Maybe you should just leave the tree climbing to us rodents" said Eddie as he and Crash went up the tallest tree they could find followed by Barret. They went up as fast as they could. Crash got up first, stood on a branch, looking over the place. Eddie comes up with Barret after a while to see his jaw hanging down.

"What is it, bro?" asked Eddie.

"W-w-w-w-we're…"

"We're in the human territory." continued Barret in their horror. He pointed out numerous human camps from smokes coming up to the sky.

"What are we going to do?" asked Crash.

Barret thought for a second. "Come on, let's head down and talk about this." The twins followed Barret down the tree. They scurried downwards meeting with the rest after a while.

"How is it?" asked Ellie.

"We're in the human territory." said Eddie.

"What?!" said Ellie in disbelief. "W-what are we gonna do now?"

"How are we gonna get home, without getting... * gulp* .. speared?"said Sid. He started trembling in fear of humans.

They were all wondering what to do next. Peaches was listening to the adults about their comments and suggestions. She moved from one adult to another asking them what they were thinking. Then all of a sudden, a loud roar came out in the forest. Peaches heard it, the others should have as well, but she seemed to be the only one who paid attention to it. She went off into the direction leading to the roar. It was a bit familiar she thought.

"Peaches?" Ellie noticed Peaches going far away, and she followed her. Another loud roar came out, this time, Ellie noticed it as well. Peaches started running as the roars seemed to get more desperate.

Peaches reaches a thick bush. Beyond it was where the sounds were coming from. Peaches would've met her doom if she had gone through it. Fortunately, Ellie stopped her just in time.

"Peaches!" Ellie said softly urging her daughter to stop with her trunk. "Don't go running off like that." Just as Ellie was about to scold Peaches, another loud roar came echoing across them.

They peek through the bushes to find a human encampment. Ellie, at first glance, wanted to get out of there as fast as possible. Until Peaches said, "Mom! Mom!" and pointed at something. Ellie tried not to bother, but as Peaches insisted, she took a look at it, and saw such dismay in her eyes.

Diego. And he was being pulled out of a cage.

"There he is." Ryan whispered as he, Nia, Diana and Manny were prowling in the bushes. Manny was trying his best to stay hidden as they plan on what to do.

"So…. Err… whats the plan?" asked Nia.

"Well… I'm not really sure." Answered Diana.

"Ok…" said Ryan. "Let's try and think of one."

They paused for a moment. "I've got an idea" said Manny followed by some thoughtful planning.

"Guys?!" shouted Sid. "W-where did you all go?!" he shouted even more while gasping for air, tired from running. He was lagging behind the twins, Buck and Barret. The lot was scurrying along the ground meeting up with the mammoths.

"Ssssshh!!" quieted Ellie. "Don't be too loud."

"Why?" wondered Crash. "What's wrong?" He was about to go through the thick bushes before Eddie stopped him.

"Dude!" said Eddie. "This is a human encampment! We saw back up on that tree, remember?"

"Oh… right…"

"Then shouldn't we be going as far away from as possible?!" said Sid, his legs shaking.

"One problem" said Peaches. They all took a peek from the bushes where Peaches pointed at. They saw through it Diego being pulled by rope from the cage. He was doing his best pulling it, although there were about 4 humans pulling him.

"Tiger!" said Buck. "Wha's he doin' the-ah?"

"Who knows!" said Eddie. "We gotta help him!"

"Woah woah wooooah guys, take it easy." said Barret blocking their way. "What exactly are we gonna do first? We can't just barge in there."

"They'll need my help." Buck whispered to himself.

"Then what _are_ we gonna do?!" said Ellie. "We can't just stand around here while our friends in trouble-"

Ellie was about to continue her speech, when they heard loud thumping sounds across the bushes.

"Dad!" Peaches shouted while peeking through the bushes.

"M-Manny?!" gasped Ellie. "H-how did get here?!"

"I dunno." said Sid. "But it looks like they're trying to rescue Diego."

"Then what are we waiting for?!" said Barret. "Twins!- err…. Twins?" The possums seemed to have disappeared from sight. "Oooookaaay…. Umm.. Bu- Buck?!" Barret said looking around him. "Crash! Eddie! Buck! Where are those guys?!"

* * *

"Charge!!!" shouted Manny as he dove into the humans, pushing them away like twigs.

"Boy, is he full of it." said Ryan. He was running behind him alongside the others.

"Shut up." said Manny "Split up! Look for Diego, he can't be far."

"Manny!" Diego shouted while the humans were pulling him. "Over here!"

"Diego!" shouted Diana. They went to approach him when dozens of humans started surrounding them. Manny was pushing them back, and Ryan was biting at them skillfully. A large rolling trunk suddenly appeared, crushing most of the humans. They looked at the direction it came from and saw a female mammoth.

"What are you doing here?!" shouted Ellie.

"What am _I_ doing here?!" shouted Manny back. "What are _you_ doing here?!"

"Daddy!" a small mammoth came towards him.

"P-Peaches?!! Where did you guys come from?!"

"Well-" Sid came in interrupting. "Long story short, we got stuck in Dinoland looking for a way back up here and here we are!"

"W-what?" asked Ryan. He looked at the green thing, and at first glance became utterly disgusted by its foul smell.

"It was a little bit of his fault. And now the possums and Buck are missing" came in Barret crawling down from on top of Ellie's head.

"And, who are you?!-" asked Manny.

"Ummm, guys, hello. Brother caught by humans here." said Diana getting their attention. More and more humans were starting to come up to them. The humans holding Diego gave up and picked up their spears. Diego escaped from the rope and was now confronting them.

"Okay… on three…" whispered Eddie. "One… two…" They both jumped in unison trying to catch the bird near the river. The bird, an osprey in particular, simply flew up.

"I thought you said to jump on three!" said Crash, wiping off mud of his body. "We haven't even got to three!"

"Hey, you jumped too you know!" argued Eddie. They were about to fight in the mud when the osprey started laughing at them.

"Hahaha! You two are pathetic!" he shouted.

"Shut up, you stupid bird!-" said Eddie before slipping unto some more mud. "-ugh.."

"Hahahahaha!!! See!" laughed the osprey.

"Come on… bro… let's just get out of here." said Crash, pulling Eddie off the mud. They were about to run off when they suddenly heard odd noises collecting sounds made by tigers, dogs, and mammoths, and then followed by a girlish screech.

"Looks like they've a ruckus down there." said the osprey looking over the human encampment while perched on a tree. "Wonder what's going on."

"What do you care!" shouted Eddie, still provoked by him.

"Hmmm… those sounds… they seem oddly familiar."

They're our friends!" said Crash. "But we don't have time to chat around with you, cause we gotta help them."

The possum twins started walking off before the osprey landed right in front of them. The possums were caught surprised. "W-what do y-you want?!" said Eddie, trying to put up a brave front.

Flik walked along them, and then lowered his body at a certain point. "Get on."

* * *

"Ok… now I've got mammoth and tiger tracks again. But it seems to be missing one tiger." The lone human tracker thought. He heard that an encampment nearby caught one. Judging by the tracks, the paw prints seemed to be… traveling with these mammoth prints.

"Strange", he thought. And so, the human continued to follow.

* * *

**Xion the Author: Err… another one week delay. Sorry about that. I had **_**more **_**things to do, but now that it's ALL out of the way, I assure you I will be updating a little bit sooner than later.**

**Manny: Wahoo….**

**Xion the Author: Ok, so from the title itself, things are finally coming together. Everyone. There are a few missing people I suppose (Buck, where did you go?!!!) And as you can see, I brought Flik back into the picture. It's to give the twins as well some light into the story.**

**Crash & Eddie: Yeah!! *secret handshakes***

**Xion the Author: Hmmm… the way things are going… the next chapter might end this story. Well… might. I'll try to update ASAP. That means less than seven days! XD**

**Flik: O.o **


	13. Finale

**Xion the Author: Here it is, the long awaited long chapter! OMG OMG OMG OMG! The 'finale'!!! I'm just gonna skip the whole intro part now so you can just read on!-

* * *

**

_**Chapter XIII. Finale**_

"Aaaaahhhh!!!" Sid squealed like a baby girl as he ran for his life. Humans were catching up to him. He jumped around avoiding the spears they threw at him. It wasn't long before he got cornered to a mountain. No way out, the thing that wants to kill him right in front of him. Although he had spent around half his life in situations like this, he never got used to it.

A large tree trunk mauled over the humans, flinging them up into the mountains. They screamed while flying. "SID!" Manny shouted at him. "If you're not gonna help fending off the humans, you might as well be quiet!"

Barret sneaked up behind the human tents. He took a fresh burning log nearby, and started burning the tents one by one. All the humans inside started scattering like ants.

"UUUUHHH!!!" the humans shouted out their battle cry, charging forth into the animals with their spears pointing at them.

"What are they saying?" asked Sid.

"Beats me, humans don't talk." answered Ryan. An approaching human almost was about to spear him from behind when Nia saved him just in time, tackling the human with absolute force.

"N-Nia?!" Ryan was surprised.

"My father taught me a few… tricks." Nia replied happily.

"Uhh.. O…K…." was what Ryan could only say. "By the way, what exactly was the plan?"

"I think it was, 'keep charging ahead, and beat up every human in sight'" Nia said. "Not really the best of plans.

While Ryan and Nia were quickly discussing, Manny went in front of them. "Ok, so guys, should we make a change of plan.

"Oh no, no need. Our plan is just perfect the way it is", Ryan said ironically.

* * *

Diana fought off the remaining hunters near the cage, helping Diego escaped. She broke their spear and roared at them, making them flee. She cut the rope loose and hugged her brother. "Diego! I thought you were goner"

"Ummm… well… I'm here!" Diego replied smiling, having a loss at words, and Diana continued to hug him.

"Uwaaaahhh!!!" a human snuck up from behind them. Diego and Diana stopped hugging and were about to fight him off before he got knocked out instantly. They watched him fall flat on the ground and looked up at the sky to see what dropped on him.

* * *

"Wahoooooooo!!!" Crash was having the time of his life flying on Flik. "Three at ten o' clock!"

"Got it!" replied Eddie, flinging the rocks at the humans accurately using Crash's tail as a slingshot.

"Incoming arrows! Evade evade!" Hold on!!!" shouted Flik, barrel-rolling in the sky, evading the arrows being thrown at them. Crash and Eddie were hanging on to his feathers, swaying around in the air whenever he flew sidewards or barrel rolled.

"This is fun!" shouted Eddie.

"Awesome!!!" shouted Crash

"Fantastic!!!!" Eddie yelled even louder

"Amazing!!!!!" Crash yelled even more louder.

"Super!", interrupted Flik, getting them to focus. "Now get those rocks there and start helping again!"

* * *

"Wow…" said Sid as he stared at the boys soaring above the sky. "I wish I could fly like that."

"Here, I'll grant it for you again!" shouted Manny kicking him into some humans. Sid screamed, and even after pummeling the humans to the ground, he continued to fly until he landed into a tent.

"That was probably more than he bargained for" Barret said to Manny.

Sid got up from the wreckage, inspecting there were ropes around his body, and thought of an idea. With one end tied to a tree, Sid held the other end and started running in different directions.

"Stay back Peaches!" Ellie warned her, as she fending off the human taunting them. This one was a little better than the others, and Ellie was getting hard up with him. Peaches didn't just want to do nothing, so she picked up a nearby burning log, and threw it at the human's face.

The human was blinded, Ellie picked up his spear. The human held his grip on the wooden spear, but now that Ellie was able to pick it with her trunk, she simply pulled hard and threw the human away.

"Nice one Peaches!" her mother praised. She smiled gave a high 'trunk'.

They all finally rounded up together. They all showed bits of joy and happiness

"Diego! You're okay!" said Sid.

"S-Sid? What are you doing here?!" Diego asked.

"Long story, right now, we've got bigger problems." said Barret. They enjoyed their little reunion for a short while, as more and more humans started coming in.

Ryan looked around to find a better way to drive the humans off. Instantly, he looked up at the cliff and thought of something. He started running up there as fast as he could.

Nia found him going up and asked him, "Ryan! Where are you going?!"

"I've got an idea!" he shouted back, and Nia followed. They climbed up to the top, looking below to see the others fighting off other humans.

Ryan was pushing boulders down from the nearby cliff, scaring the humans off, making them run in fear. Nia helped him push them down. The humans seemed to have been losing, and they were getting in high spirits.

But to their dismay, more bands of humans were coming in from the forest. "W-what?!" Nia said shocked from the sight of more humans coming in. "W-where?! H-how?!!"

"They must've come from the other outposts!" said Ryan. ""Don't be afraid!" he shouted, encouraging the others. "Keep fighting!"

* * *

Sid gave one heavy pull on the rope, and most of the humans coming in from the forest tripped into the ground. Diego and Diana picked up their spears and broke them, while Manny picked the humans up and threw them back into the forest.

"Ha!" Sid said proudly. "See! I _can_ do something."

Diego and Manny looked at each other and grinned. They'd usually call him useless or whatnot, but they knew he was as important as the rest of them.

"Woah oh!" yelled Barret, evading the arrows from the sky. "Shield yourselves!"

Everyone started scrambling around, dodging the arrows. A few almost hit them, but thankfully all the received was a small scratch.

"Eye's open!" shouted Flik. "We're going straight in there!" he said, pointing at the part of the forest where dozens of arrows were coming from. At an instant, they flew off and dove in.

"One at two o' clock!" cried out Crash. "Aim and Fire!!!" They threw out rocks at them with pin point accuracy, hitting some of them in their heads and knocking them out. It wasn't long before the humans started shooting at them.

"Attention all passengers, this is your captain speaking." said Flik high up in midair, skillfully avoiding the arrows, letting them land back to ground nearly hitting the humans. "It appears there's some slight air turbulence. Please buckle up and grab the ammo in the trees. Once again, thank you for flying Air Osprey."

"Yaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!!!!' shouted the twins in unison, taking the pine cones from the trees and swiftly shot them at the hunters. They were hard enough to knock them out, and they continued doing so flying in midair, shooting at the humans while dodging their arrows.

All of the humans seemed to have been knocked out, and Flik started going back. "Looks like we've won the ba-" Flik couldn't continue what he was saying when a stray arrow hit his left wing.

"Ack! We're *ack* hit!" Flik shouted, gasping in pain. "We're gonna crash!!!!!!!!" he said, as they started propelling downwards.

"Aaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!" the boys screamed in unison.

"Looks like this is the end…" said Eddie.

"I love you bro!" shouted Crash.

"We're gonna die!!!" yelled Eddie, ignoring what Crash had said. Crash frowned at him. "What?" Eddie asked. "Was it something I said?"

Again the two boys started screaming. They were about to crash land until they caught by mysterious trunk.

"Gotcha!" she exclaimed.

The twins shook their heads to see Peaches holding them. "Peaches!!!" cried out Eddie. "Thank God!!!" cried out Crash. "We thought we'd be a goner!"

There small joy was interrupted by the sound of more humans coming at them. Peaches carried the three at her back and ran back towards her parents. They were cornered to cliff. Groups of humans appeared, taunting them with their spears.

"What are we gonna do now?" asked Diego.

"I-I don't know."

* * *

The teenage hunter finally reached his destination. He prowled in the forest, looking at the wreckage in the outpost. "What exactly happened here?"

He moved into it to find tents burnt down, some of which were still burning. Rocks heavily nailed unto the ground, as if someone, or something, had pushed it downwards. Logs everywhere in complete disarray, and so were some rope.

He then moved to the other side of the camp, separated by the large mountain wall. He went around it to see bands of humans, carrying torches and spears, holding them against an odd group of… animals?

The hunter analyzed what he was seeing. Three mammoths, two sabers, two wolves, a sloth, a bird, two possums and a weasel. None of which clearly rang a bell, yet it felt somewhat odd. Somewhat… nostalgic. Then all of a sudden, a flash of memory occurred the moment he saw a tiny necklace, wrapped around the male mammoth's left horn.

Though it was blurry, it was clear enough to be understood. His father had told him stories about a weird herd of animals that had brought him back to his father. He only thought of them as childish fairy tales, but at the glimpse of the moment, he knew it was all true.

Immediately, without a shade of doubt, without the slightest hint of hesitation, he charged forward and blocked the humans, crossing his arms widely.

* * *

"Umm… Manny?" asked Sid. "What's this human doing?" The human boy blocked the other humans. The herd had been thrown into complete confusion, and the mob of humans was suddenly angrier than before.

"I don't know but stay quiet" whispered Manny. "It looks like he's… trying to protect us…"

"You know… I've got this weird feeling about him" whispered Diego.

"Yeah, Sid gets that feeling with almost everyone" whispered Crash.

"Shut up." whispered Sid.

While they were whispering behind him, the human boy argued with who, somehow, looked like the leader of the mob. Peaches remembered him. He was the one she threw a burning twig at. She could see an odd scar across his face, probably from what she just threw a while ago. The humans seemed to have been talking with each other, although they couldn't understand them.

At first, the human boy seemed to have joked about something, which in turn seemed to annoy the scarred human. From what it looked like, the boy joked about his face.

"I don't like where this is going" whispered Ellie to Manny.

"J-just stay calm. Everything's gonna be all right" replied Manny softly.

The two humans were now talking intensely. The 'words' coming out of their mouths sounded only like grunts and shouts. Eddie was shaking. Crash was trembling in fear. Flik watched the oddity of it. Nia stayed close to Ryan, and so did Diana with Diego. After a while of talking, the scarred human instantly pointed his spear at the boy, which made the entire herd gasp.

The boy shook his head, and the the scarred human charged at him with his spear, shouting loudly as he did it. The herd only watched him. Diego was about to make a move, but the boy suddenly grabbed the spear, skillfully pulled it from the scarred human, and tripped him. The scarred human groveled instantly into the ground. The rest of the mob started to attack as well. The human boy got into his fighting stance, and so did the rest of the heard, before they heard a loud deafening roar, along with earth-shaking thuds. A large gray spinosaurus came out of the tall forest, making everyone tremble to their feet.

"YEEEEHAAAAAAAAAAW!!!" shouted an odd familiar voice about him. "Come on Rudy! Dance for me!!!" It was Buck, riding on top of Rudy with a bridle fashioned with rope along his mouth.

"Buck!!!" they gang shouted in admiration and hope.

The human mob started to run in fear. The scarred human stared at it on the ground. The met eye to eye in a few short moments before he got up an ran off!

"Back you vile humans!" shouted Buck. "Back I say!" He guided Rudy to the human boy, in which right now was only staring at it monstrous beast.

"Buck! Wait!" shouted Barret. "It's okay!" Buck calmed Rudy down in an instant. "He's… he's not an enemy."

"Well then!" said Buck, coiling Rudy to a tree on the top of a cliff and slid down him from head to tail. "I guess that's all of those pesky humans. I wasn't too late or anythin' was I? It took a while for me to find Rudy. Nasty beast. Wasn't too hard to tame 'im, it was the findin' part that was hard."

"You tamed Rudy?!!" asked Eddie with his jaw wide open.

"Woah…" stood Crash in awe, watching the great dinosaur tamed and coiled.

"Yep!" replied Buck. "Could've done it anytime I want really, its real easy."

"Wait" contemplated Ellie. "Then, why didn't you do that before?"

"Well, why should I?" said Buck. "I mean, tamed dinosaurs aren't half as fun as wild ones."

"Then… why did you tame him now?" asked Barret, glancing left and right from Buck and Rudy.

Buck fell silent. "Hmmm… truth is… I don't know…" Buck shrugged with a grin.

Now that they were all safe, everyone enjoyed their finally peaceful reunion. Diego, however, walked to the human boy, and stared at him. The fourteen year old boy noticed, and made little gesture, covering his face, and uncovering it with a smile.

"Where's the baby…" said Diego, knowing that the baby they once knew as pinky had grown all up. The others approached Roshan as well. "Sid, Manny…" said Diego. "Guess who it is."

This made Manny raise an eyebrow before realizing. He was about to say something before Sid uncasually interrupted. "Pinky!" Sid shouted. "Awww… you're all grown up!!!"

"I'm glad everyone remembers me." Roshan said, which made everyone look at each other.

"Ummm… did he just actually… say something?" asked Peaches."

Roshan approached the little mammoth, and pet her on the head. "Yes, I did." He said. "What's your name?"

"Peaches!" she said, smiling at him, trusting him completely like an innocent child. "Like the fruit."

Roshan let out a small chuckle. "Hello Peaches. My name's Roshan."

"Roshan, huh." Manny said. Roshan turned to him, and they both smiled at each other. "You look a lot like a real hunter now."

"Heh, I sure do." Roshan replied, holding the necklace on Manny's horn.

"Ummm… you guys know him?" asked Ellie curiously to Diego.

"Kinda"

"How did you meet him?" asked Diana.

Diego replied "We'll tell you later."

"Yes." said Roshan. "That would be best. More of us hunters would be coming here soon. It's best I take you all out of here. We must hurry."

"He's right." said Flik, jumping around to move. "You lot should go now."

"What about you guys?" Ellie asked to Buck and Barret. They were beside each other, discussing something. "You coming?"

Buck made a look like he thought about it, although he'd already made his mind. "Sorry, as fun as that second invitations sounds, my calling still belongs down there. Besides, I have tah bring ol' Rudy back down there and take down those other caves."

"I'm coming with him." said Barret. "It might fun. I might even learn a few things from you, bro. I thought of settling down at Still Lake, you know, with all the peace and quiet there."

"Err... did you just happen to say… lake?" asked Flik.

"Ummm… yeah… why?"

"Are there any… fish… there?" Flik continued to ask.

"By the millions!" answered Buck, making Flik's beak water.

"Well then, I'll be coming along!" Flik shouted, climbing up Rudy, jumping from spike to spike till he got to his head.

Manny then approached Ryan and Nia, who were apparently also discussing something. "Thanks."

"I think I should be the one thanking you, after all, you guys were the one who saved me in the first place."

"Yeah, but I -I mean- we couldn't have done it without you."

"I heard everything from Diego. He said you were the first one to move when you saw me in that storm. Guess this means we're even then." Ryan grinned.

Manny took a few short breaths and finally said it. "So, are you coming with us?"

Ryan and Nia looked at each other, and then looked at Manny. "We thought you'd never ask."

"We must go now" alerted Roshan to everyone.

"Us too!" shouted Buck. "Well then, bye everyone!" He shouted unhoisting Rudy and he, Barret and Flik rode on him back to Dinoland.

"Wait! Take us with you!" shouted the twins. They were about to run off with them before Peaches grabbed their tails. "Hey!"

"Oh no you're not!" she said. "Your family, and you're not going anywhere."

Crash and Eddie looked at each other as they hung down in mid air. She was the spitting image of her mother.

"All right!" Sid said. "Ice Age, here we come!" And on, they went.

It wasn't long before they were led to the exit of Glaciar Pass. Sid tried singing on the way, but the gang immediately shut him up. There Roshan stood and said his goodbye, saying that it was forbidden for them to leave.

"It was nice seeing you again, Pinky." said Sid.

"It was nice seeing all again too." Roshan replied, and he hugged Sid, Manny and Diego one by one. "I fear this might be the last time we'll ever meet again."

"Well" said Diego. "I'm glad we get to see each other again."

And with this, Roshan left, and the gang went in the other direction. Together, as a herd, they walk on back home.

* * *

"Wahoooooooo!!!" yelled out Buck as they wildly rode on Rudy. Barret was holding on to the rope as desperately as he could. Flik just tried enjoying the ride, sitting their as relaxed as he could be. By the looks of it, his wing was probably gonna heal in a few days.

Buck rode Rudy on the plains of Still Lake, scattering all the herbivores alike. For him, this was pure amusement. And so was it to Flik.

* * *

**Xion the Author: This is the end! But in every ending, there's a new beginning! So, to keep the story alive a bit longer, I AM ADDING AN EPILOUGE! Here I will also be adding the conclusion of the SQUIRRELS and along the same time I will be releasing CHAPTER 1 of my new story! But before all that, please tell me if I should edit the entire thing. I can, after all, edit typos and such, and can merge the short chapters anyways. The content will remain 99% the same, the arrangement will be the only thing that will change.**

**Diego: Hah! You're really energetic about this! But when it comes to school work, you're as lazy as Sid here!**

**Sid: Hey!**

**Xion the Author: Hmmm… so anyways, about the chapter. Buck's back! With Rudy! I reappeared Flik, and finally revealed Roshan! I bet your wondering where the hell the necklace went in the second and third movie! Around the third time you get a clear view of Manny in the first movie, the necklace vanishes! I AM EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED AT THIS…**

**Manny: I'm glad you mentioned it…**

**Xion the Author: So please! Review the best you can!!!!! My fanfiction writing doesn't end here!**


	14. Epilouge

_**Epilouge**_

It had been nearly a week since they last been to Glacier Pass. The herd was finally back home, and a new story began.

"Aaaaaaahhh!!!" Diana shouted in pain, gasping for a few short before pushing again. She was in labor now. Everyone was there, being with her.

"Just keep pushing honey, you're almost there." said Ellie, being a mother herself, she knows.

"M-Manny… I'm scared…" said Diana. "C-can I hold your trunk?"

"Uhhh… sure", said Manny handing out his trunk to Diana. Diana held on to it, and as she pushed, her claws contracted out making Manny gasped in pain. "Ack- j-just… go with the pain!"

Diego was watching silently, watching her sister give birth in front of his eyes. Sid was standing beside him, shaking. "You okay, Sid?"

"Yeah… I'm just a little bit nervous…" Sid replied

"Yeah… me too…" Diego said. As one cub finally came out, Sid gasps and faints on the spot.

"There there… we've got one." said Buck. He and Barret found another cave nearby which could lead them here at anytime. They've closed most of the caves now, and this was one that they decided would never close and come here for occasional visits. Flik came with them. Although he enjoyed eating the fish in the lake, he wanted to come and visit as well. He was a bit curious about how things were with Manny and the others.

Diana continued to push and scream. Sid finally got up, only to be found knocked out again as he saw another cub come out. Diego was getting somewhat more nervous and more relieved in a way.

Crash and Eddie had seen just about every birth in their old village. They've gotten used to the birth part, but the nervousness of the moment stayed just the same.

Ryan and Nia stayed beside Diana. They were a new addition to the herd, and along the way from Glacier Pass, they've introduced themselves to the others. Ryan was the amnesiac they found in the blizzard that many days ago, and Nia was his lover, who had been kicked out of her old pack to be with Ryan.

Barret stayed at a distance, waiting for what happens in the end. "Will there be five cubs? Four? Three?" Barret whispered to himself. The day he and Buck got back, everything was like a party, the gang was greeting them and asking where they came from, and they could've answered every question if Diana was suddenly caught in labor.

Ellie could remember the time she was in labor, and was all in managing Diana. She encouraged her, kept her calm and steady, and gave her just about every advice in child birth during the time they traveled.

Peaches was hiding beside Barret. She couldn't bear to see Diana giving birth. Although she wanted to grow up already, she was still a kid. She was still going to be scared of scary stories, laugh at people getting hurt, and probably cry most of the time. But, although the herd couldn't see it, she was growing up, little by little. It might even be time for Ellie and Manny to give Peaches 'the talk'.

And finally, the last cub came out. And thankfully, Sid woke up afterwards. "There we go!" said Buck. "Three lil' cubs!"

"They're so adorable" said Ellie.

Diego and the rest finally approached her. Sid looked at the cubs and fell apart to the utter cuteness of the babies. "Awww… just look how cute and cuddly they all are!"

"Uhhhh… Diana…" said Manny.

"What is it Manny?" asked Diana, finally relieved of child birth.

"R-retract the claws please." said Manny, still writhing in pain with Diana holding his trunk.

"Oh!" she said finally retracting her claws. "Sorry about that."

Buck got up from the commotion and slumped back into the snow with his head resting on a tree, resting down like he had never done it before. Barret came to him and leaned on the tree beside him. "I remember you loving this place before, you know." Barret said.

"Well, that was befo'e I stumbled upon Dinoland." replied Buck with a small grin.

"The part you liked the most here was slumping down on the soft snow, like right now." said Barret.

"What are you getting at bro?" asked Buck. Barret paused for a moment before he finally admitted it.

"Come with me, back to Ma's" said Barret. Buck looked at him for a moment before staring blankly at the cold snow on the ground.

"I-I don't know…" muttered Buck. "It's been a long time now, and I don't think Ma wants me back there and-"

"You don't need to stay there." corrected Barret. "I just want you to- you know- at least visit…"

Buck thought about this. A dominant part of him didn't want to. In fact, you could say 99% of him. But then he remembered what he had seen in Silhouette Tunnel. "Alright. I'll go visit" he decided. It was probably best he finally confronted his fears. His childhood. His mother. And if possible, his father.

Barret smiled, relieved that he could actually go home, with his brother again. He slumped down with Buck and rested.

"W-what are you gonna name them?" asked Diego. He first pointed at the first one who came out. A male. Diana gave some careful thinking and finally came up with it.

"Nicholas" she said.

"Alright… what about this one?" Diego asked, now pointing at the second who came out. This time, a female. Again Diana gave it some more careful thinking, and finally decided.

"Rhea"

"Okay… now for the last one." Diego said pointing at the last who came out. Another male, and this time, Diana didn't need any thinking. She had already made up her mind.

"Oscar Jr."

Diego smiled. He had finally told Diana the cold truth of what happened to Oscar before. Diana cried on that day. But at least know she knew.

"Well, looks like things are getting busy here." said Ryan while he leaned on Nia, and her doing the same.

"And things might even get 'busier'" replied Nia, flirting with him. They were planning on having kids themselves, and with everyone around, they knew that everything was going to be okay. After all, they were now part of one big family.

"Hey, Diana." said Sid.

"What is it, Sid?" asked Diana.

"I wanted to ask, can I babysit for you?" asked Sid. 

"What?"

"NO SID" answered Diego simply.

"Awww!" said Sid disappointed. "But then who going to take care of them with Diana?"

Diana fell silent, but Diego gave her a light of hope. "I'll do it."

Diana glanced at Diego, and he smiled at her. "I may not know anything about raising kids, but I'll do my best." Diana fell into tears and hugged Diego. And Diego actually hugged back, making Manny shed a tear.

"Heh- who's the tough guy know?" said Ryan sarcastically to Manny.

"Shut up!" he said, and everyone rose up into laughter.

"Hey Flik!" said Crash.

"What?" Flik asked.

"Think we could ever get a ride on you again?" asked Eddie.

"No." Flik answered.

"Aww… come on!" said Crash. "For old time sakes?"

"Still a no." Flik answered once again.

"Hiya!" shouted Eddie as he instantly rode on Flik. This made Flik flap his wings, trying to shake off Eddie.

"Get off me!" Flik shouted.

"Awww, come on!" said Crash as he rode on to Flik as well. "Just once"

"Oh, you asked for it!" Flik said, and instantly jetting off in the air, flying as fast as he could. Although he was making a desperate attempt to shake off the possums, instead he made them enjoy every moment of it.

"Giddy up!" shouted Eddie, pulling Flik's feather.

"S-stop it, you runt!" shouted Flik back. Too distracted from flying, he crashed landed on the snow the split second he realized it. The three of them went in the soft snow. Crash and Eddie instantly plopped right out of it.

"Yeah! Let's do it again!" said Crash, giving Eddie a fake high five. "Ha! Missed me!" Which resulted them in fighting.

Flik sighed, shaking snow off of his feathers. "You boys…"

Peaches ran along the snow playfully, making Ellie chase her. Manny followed, and so did Sid for a short while before losing his breath. Manny then approached Sid. "Sid."

"W-what is it Manny?" Sid asked, breathing heavily.

"I know that at first it was just the two of us and Diego in the herd, and, I just wanted to ask you if you were okay with all these other people joining the herd. After all, you're the one who first made this herd."

Sid shook his head. "I don't really mind, in fact, I'm more happier with this. All that I ever wanted, was to be a part of a family, big or not." Manny felt relieved that Sid didn't hate the idea of the herd getting bigger. "Besides, I've already gotten used to lovebirds cuddling around and all." He said directing at Manny and Ellie, and then pointed at Ryan and Nia.

Ryan cuddled with Nia, and she did as too him as well. It didn't need a genius to expect them to kiss afterwards. A happy couple.

Buck and Barret kept on resting on the snow. Times like these were very precious, and they enjoyed each and every moment of it. "Family… huh?" shrugged Buck. Barret looked at him, but seeing Buck was at peace, he didn't mind anymore.

Diego and his sister Diana took care of the newborn cubs, with Diego as the somewhat step-father. Diego took her and the cubs to a makeshift den, an ideal place for raising cubs in a snowy landscape.

This was perfect, this… was family.

_The end… and the start of new beginnings…_

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**Xion the Author: T.T the story has finally ended. But with this, I could now upload a new story! Hurray for that! And as you may have noticed, the story has gone shorter, now on 14 Chapters! (this is the 14****th****).**

**Ryan: So I guess this means you're not gonna stop writing?**

**Xion the Author: Heh! Not even by a longshot. Thank you, everyone, all the readers and reviewers out there! Thank you, debit13! My first reviewer! Thank you DiegoRedeemedLover (aka DR+L). Thank you as well RemmyBlack, Shewolfx1, thatsonehappychick, kaktusic and to all the other anonymous reviewers and readers! And finally, the long awaited "Squirrels!"**

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Scrat and Scratte were going all lovey-dovey with each other. They were chasing each other, usually Scrat was chasing Scratte. They were atop a giant ice glacier before they finally got tired. Scratte left Scrat for awhile because she had to do her "business". And after a while, Scrat was completely alone.

Scrat was patiently waiting for Scratte to get out of the bushes while sitting on a rock. It was then until he heard some bushes bustling about to his behind him. When he looked back, he saw his precious nut, with an arm extending over the bushes. Scrat was about to go crazy for it until he looked back. Scratte still wasn't here, so he might as well get it quick and quiet. He grabbed the nut with both his hands, but he couldn't take it from the one holding it. He pulled and pulled, but still no luck.

Finally, the one holding it in the bushes finally emerged. Scoot. Scrat wanted to "politely" take the nut from him, but Scoot was suddenly coming over him. Scrat didn't want to get smooched by him, but he also wanted the nut. He was pulling really hard, but Scoot was too strong, and kept on pushing his lips towards Scrat. Scrat placed with his feet on Scoot face, started pulling crazy.

Scoot had finally had enough of it, and just instantly took the acorn from Scrat's grip. Scrat was panicking, _his_ nut was about to go, with _Scoot!_ That he could not take. In complete wrath, Scrat charged towards Scoot, grabbed the nut with his guard down, took it, and hit Scoot with nut again and again.

Scratte heard the commotion. Scrat raised his nut up high, while Scoot lays on the ground, unconscious. Scratte sees Scrat with the nut and gasps. Scrat sees her and waves high. Scratte suddenly starts walking to him rampantly. Scrat wondered why, and then looks up to realize he was holding the acorn. Uh oh, she must have the wrong idea.

Scrat made an embarrassed smile. He tried putting the acorn gently on the ground before Scratte stepped on Scoot's head and immediately took the acorn from his hands. She then hit Scrat with it really hard, making him fall down unto the ground. She then raised the acorn up high and tried to slam it down on his head. Scrat screamed and rolled on the ground to dodge it. The acorn instantly plunged into the ice. Cracks came out of the ground. Both Scrat and Scratte knew something bad was about to happen. They try to keep the cracking from continuing. They were actually trying to keep the ice from splitting. But as the cracks suddenly got deeper, and the glacier shook, they knew it was too late.

Scrat looked back at Scratte to see her glaring at him. She raised up her gliding arms. Scrat tried to stop her, but the second he did, she flew off. The glacier was now moving, fast. Scrat had to get out of there quick. He instantly jumped off in a desperate attempt. He screamed as he plummeted down the tall 50 feet glacier. Scratte glided along him, shook her head, and glided away while he was free-falling.

Scrat continued to scream until he finally hit the ground. He got off from the hole he made feeling woozy. He shook his head and watched the glacier move. At least now he was safe. But then he remembered something. He realized that beside Scoot's unconscious body, was his acorn! Scrat got up from the hole, but it was too late. The glacier hit the giant lava wall, making the bottom half of it stay there on that side, covering the exit of Glacier Pass. The top half of the glacier flipped over, covering his nut and Scoot under 25 feet of ice and snow. Scrat pulled his ears, eye bags, tried to actually pull his head off, and screamed.

_Ok, that's it! Thanks for reading! _


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